When fate has other plans
by ljvs
Summary: Arlene and Jessica had been recruited into the Military long before there was a war to fight, so when the bullets started flying they were ready. Working with an elite Special Operations unit they had one simple rule; make it out alive or take as many of the enemy down with you as possible. The plan was working until fate intervened and their paths crossed with Easy Company.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Band of Brothers mini-series or the book, nor do I intend any disrespect to the real men of Easy Company or their families. I only own the original characters.**

 **The story is based on the mini-series and I've done some additional research to try and keep it as historically accurate as possible. However, since this is a fiction there are some interpretations of an changes to actual events to make the story work.**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Jessica POV**

New York, September 1943

Sitting in the back of the yellow cab she allowed herself to relax into the worn leather seat cocooning her body. She aimlessly stared past her own reflection, entranced by the nightlife gliding by as rain tapped out a rhythmic song on the roof of the cab, the long rivers running down the window blurring the images speeding past.

Her mind brought to vivid life the muffled sounds coming from the other side of the glass. The patter of rain pelting down on large, black umbrellas, some sheltering workers hastily trying to reach their final destination of the evening while one protected a young couple. The woman tilted her head back and laughed at something her uniformed companion had said, her perfectly curled and pinned raven hair nearly coming undone.

Jessica stretched her face, trying to mimic the woman's smile, the way her eyes wrinkled in the corners in delight. The one small action exhausted her, so she settled for sitting back in her seat and watching the world go by. She had to constantly remind herself that she didn't have to act tonight, didn't have to pretend to laugh at some offish officer's offensive joke or look at a man as if she adored the ground he walked on while calculating all the ways she could kill him. No, tonight she could just be herself.

As the cab neared the centre of the city the streets became more and more crowded. The people outside shifted from workers hurrying home to young women talking and giggling in small groups as they were admired by groups of young men, dressed in all kinds of military uniforms. She knew the woman weren't all as carefree as they seemed, a country at war couldn't ever be truly carefree, but it was all relative. Compared to her, the women, and the young men for that matter, all seemed years younger and shockingly naïve. When those girls looked at the handsome men dressed in their finest all they saw was the potential of a future they could have, be that for later tonight or years from now. All she saw was someone's son, brother, husband, sent to fight and die in a war driven by one man's insanity, his single minded drive for conformity and world domination.

She pulled her eyes away from the crowd, resolutely focusing on the rain drops racing down her window so her mind had something else to focus its energy on. She silently berated herself for allowing her thoughts to take a dark turn. She was after all home after years abroad and on her way to a lovely night on the town with her friends, well, those still alive.

 _Damnit Jessica, get over yourself and have some go_ _ddamn_ _fun tonight._

"You alright miss?" the gruff cabby asked tentatively.

She turned her head so she was looking at the back of his seat, a reassuring smile on the corner of her lips. She caught his eyes in the rear view mirror flicking between the wet road and her face, concern wrinkling their corners.

"It's just been a long time since I've seen New York. A lot has changed."

 _Not a complete lie_ , she thought as the man nodded in agreement.

"We're here, hopefully you'll have a good night miss," he spoke as they pulled up outside the bustling club.

The large front door was flanked on either side by a burly looking man wearing a thick black coat over what looked like a cheap black suit. A line of soldiers stretched all along the one wall, disappearing around the corner of the building. A quick glance at their uniforms told her they were green, probably on their way to Europe and most belonged to the Airborne, or Parachute Infantry as they were also known. Here and there a woman dotted the line of soldiers, usually safely tucked underneath the arm of a young man and standing close to the wall so she was shielded from the rain.

"Popular place," she remarked, mostly to herself.

"Sure is, the Mirage is one of the clubs all the boys want to go to before they ship off. Surprisingly it's a real classy joint."

Reaching into her coat pocket she pulled out the money she'd kept aside for the cab ride. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. Drive safe," she greeted the man as she handed him the notes over his shoulder.

Her hand paused on the door handle when he said, "Wait, let me get you your change."

She heard the shuffling of notes and the distinctive clink of coins crashing against one another. "Not necessary. Keep the change."

Before he could think of objecting she opened the door, bracing herself for the rain on her head, but instead she was met with the familiar drum of water hitting canvas. Looking up in surprise she found one of the doorman holding an umbrella over her head, his stern face breaking into a rather charming smile she guessed many patrons never saw.

She mentally chastised herself for being caught off guard, she should have seen him approach the car, but she hid her irritation with a well-rehearsed smile.

"We've been expecting you miss King," he said in a deep baritone voice that perfectly matched the breath of his chest.

She arched one carefully manicured eyebrow, "Oh?"

He chuckled politely as he led her the few short steps to the front door and the protection the awning covering it provided. "Yes, Mr Clark from your party informed us you'd be arriving a bit later. He told us to keep a look out for a beautiful blonde woman arriving alone by cab."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, Clark wasn't here to see it anyway.

"Did he now? If I forget, please remind me to give him a good smack," she joked.

He laughed as he held open the door for her. She smiled politely and stepped through the door, well aware of the few dirty looks those waiting in line shot her way.

The cold, wet air that followed her through the door was met with a wall of smoke heavy warm air, notes of a full band and a woman's sultry voice floating past her. The entrance consisted of a large, richly coloured lobby with a long, thickly carpeted hallway with burgundy and gold wallpaper flowing from it into the belly of the building. A few patrons were standing around, talking in small groups of two or three, but most were waiting to drop their coats at the coat check before moving into the main body of the building.

She joined the small group, smiling politely up at the tall soldier that peered over his shoulder when he felt her approach. He was handsome, his striking blue eyes standing in stark contrast to his neatly combined red hair. Even through his uniform she could tell he was muscular and lean, but considering he must have come straight from a few years of intensive physical training this was to be expected.

He stepped aside, indicating she should go in-front of him and his two companions who were still deep in conversation.

"Oh, it's not necessary," she replied with a wave of her hand.

Maybe it was the sound of her voice or the fact that their friend was no longer listening in on their conversation, but other two men turned around to see what all the commotion was about.

The first man was short, with thinning sandy blonde hair and a smile that she guessed always looked a little bit drunk. The third soldier was nearly as tall as the first, but his hair and eyes were dark, he was handsome and judging by the smirk on his face he knew it. All three men were officers with the Airborne and all three were looking at her expectantly.

"Is this one giving you trouble?" the dark haired man joked as he shot his friend a mischievous smirk.

"Only if being painfully polite is the new way to cause a ruckus," she retorted.

A slight blush crept into the redhead's cheeks, only adding to his friends' enjoyment.

The shorter man slapped the redhead on the shoulder, "That's Dick for you. Always so damn proper."

"There are worse things in this world," she said, hoping to avoid a tiff between friends.

The redhead Lieutenant shrugged off his friend's hand and turned to her, resolutely ignoring their good natured laugher at his expense.

"Lieutenant Richard Winters, ma'am. And please excuse these two, we're only friends because we work together," he introduced himself.

Both men stopped laughing, their faces reminding her of a child that has just dropped its ice-cream on the floor. She caught the glimmer in Winters' eyes, the way his lips threatened to betray him with a smirk. The dark haired soldier must have spotted it as well because he stepped closer to her as he said, "Oh, please! Your life would be boring as all hell without us in it and you know it."

She smiled at their little exchange, enjoying their easy companionship and the evident fondness they held for one another.

"Lewis Nixon at your service," he said with a smile that must have gotten him into and out of trouble a thousand times before. "And this is Harry Welsh."

She hesitated for a split second, consciously having to fight her years of experience, "Jessica King. And it's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Between the men's broad shoulders, she glimpsed the coat check girl trying to catch her eye.

"I believe it's your turn," she said, pointing towards the girl waiting for them to deposit their coats.

She could see all three men hesitate, visibly struggling with the idea of going ahead of her.

She supposed this was the normal thing to do, she was the one acting outside the norm. "Okay, calm down. I'll go first. Wouldn't want you three to have heart attacks and deprive the Germans of a chance to meet you," she teased with a lopsided smirk as she pushed past the three men to the counter.

A pair of strong hands settled on her shoulders, making her breath hitch and her muscles stiffen. "Can I help you with your coat?" Winters asked over her shoulder, his deep voice close to her ear sending a shiver running up her spine.

She took a deep breath to consciously relax her muscles, shooting the coat check girl a sheepish grin since she'd been the only one to witness her overreaction.

"Thank you," she answered politely, allowing Winters to take her tan coloured trench coat from her shoulders.

It had been an abnormally mild late summers day, and once the rain had set in and the sun had dipped a chill crept into the air, necessitating some form of a cover up if you were thinking of going outside.

The girl's eyes widened and her hand paused mid-air. Jessica smiled indulgently at the young girl, not sure what had caused her reaction and suddenly worried that she'd suffered some cataclysmic wardrobe malfunction.

"Ummm….ma'am?" the young girl asked softly as she her fingers finally reached for Jessica's coat.

"Yes?"

"Your dress, it's…..well, it's...it's really something. You look beautiful."

Jessica felt a blush creep up her cheeks as she clutched her handbag tighter to stop herself from touching the dress self-consciously.

She'd been told in no uncertain terms by her friends that this club was a very nice place and you were expected to dress to the nines. So she'd decided to wear the one formal dress she'd brought back with her, a prized possession considering the rationing taking place. It was a ruby red dress made from silk. Two delicate straps laced over her shoulders as the material fell into a soft sweetheart neckline before draping around her waist to fall in a red puddle to the floor. A modest slit on her right leg completed the look. She knew very well what an impact this dress could have, she wasn't a fool, she just hadn't had the chance to dress up in quite some time and all the women she'd seen tonight looked like real movie stars in her eyes.

She turned her full lips into a gracious smile. "Thank you very much. You just made my night."

She turned away from the still smiling girl to find her three new acquaintances openly staring at her.

"You'd swear you three have never seen a woman in a dress before."

Harry blinked and she saw him blush at being caught out, "I speak for all of us when I say, they usually don't look like that."

Leaning forward a fraction she dropped her voice, "Well now Harry Welsh. If you weren't a spoken for man I'd say you were flirting with me."

Harry looked taken aback for a second and she smiled devilishly at him, briefly shooting Winters and Nixon a wink.

"How did you know?"

She shrugged, tossing her long blonde curls over her shoulder, "You can spot a man in love a mile away. She's a lucky lady."

"Her name's Kitty," Harry offered, his face beaming with pride.

"No," Nixon interjected, "don't get him started on Kitty. We'll stay here in the lobby the whole damn night!"

Winters shot Nixon a disapproving look which the latter shrugged off, clearly used to it by now.

"Sorry Harry, you'll have to tell me another time when Nixon isn't within earshot."

"You got yourself a deal."

During their exchange Winters had handed the girl behind the counter his coat and his two friends followed quickly when they saw him impatiently waiting for them.

As their little group made their way down the hall the sounds of laughter, animated talking and music grew louder. She briefly glanced over at Winters only to find him shyly stealing a look at her.

She smiled up at him, her eyebrow quirking up in a silent question.

He visibly swallowed and she thought she heard him clear his throat before he asked, "I assume you have someone waiting for you inside?"

"A few someone's actually. I'm here with a few friends and the one insisted we visit the club. It's the hottest spot in town," she said very dramatically, doing her best to channel Clark.

He frowned and for a moment it seemed like he was going to ask her something else when they rounded a slight corner and came face to face with a large rectangular ballroom filled to capacity with men in uniform and women in their finest.

The ceilings were high with gold and white inlays in various intricate patterns. Running down from this the dark wood panelled walls were draped in ruby reds, royal blue and emerald green tapestries. A large stage dominated the furthest wall, a band playing a slow number she didn't recognise as a stunning brunette crooned along. The large, wooden dance floor was filled with couples slowly swaying to the music, some of them already holding onto each other like their world depended on the other person. Two bars occupied the other two walls, feeding the steady stream of customers looking to fill their glasses. Two dozen round tables able to seat eight people comfortably and twelve at a squeeze dotted the dark carpet while six intimate booths covered in plush brown leather were scattered against the wall in the spaces available between the bar and the start of the stage.

As she scanned the faces for one she knew Nixon and Harry continued down the five stairs which would take them from the hallway to the ballroom.

"You don't have to wait for me. I'll find them soon enough," she said to Winters, all too aware that he was patiently waiting at her side.

She heard him start to speak and turned to look up at him when her view was obstructed by a broad, dark blue chest a second before a pair of strong arms enveloped her in a bear hug.

"Heavens doll! We were starting to get worried. What a way to make a grand entrance!" she heard from somewhere above her head.

Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the familiar scent of James Clark, patiently waiting for him to loosen his grip on her.

As if reading her mind his arms fell away and his beaming face came into view. Clark was tall with broad shoulders and a very muscular build. She suspected in another life he would have excelled at football or some other contact sport. His dusty brown hair had a stubborn curl even the shortest of military cuts couldn't quite get rid of and his cheeky smile and glint to his eyes screamed mischief.

"Damn doll, you look bloody fantastic!"

"I'm going to ignore the fact that you sound that surprised," she retorted with a wink, "You clean up well too."

Winters cleared his throat behind Clark's back and she scowled up at her smirking friend.

Bodily moving Clark to one side she introduced the two men, "Captain James Clark, this is Lieutenant Richard Winters."

Winters was about to salute when Clark waved him off, "No need for that. So, how do you two know each other?"

"Oh, we just met on the way in," Winters replied, his eyes quickly jumping to her face as if he was trying to decipher something.

"Really?" Clark responded, the sly look on his face making her groan internally.

Deciding to steer the conversation away from wherever Clark was heading she said, "Clark is one of the friends I'm meeting. Richard is with the Airborne."

Winters raised a quizzical eyebrow and she realised not many women would have known what branch of the military he belonged to just by looking at his uniform. Shrugging, she answered his unasked question, "I work in the military so I'm familiar with the different branches."

The handsome lieutenant's eyebrows shot up even as he tried to control the rest of his features. "You two work together?" he asked, eyeing Clark's various medals and ribbons.

"We work in the same unit," she quickly replied, hoping the true, if not completely accurate answer would satisfy Winters.

Clark feigned a serious expression, frowning deeply and dramatically pursing his lips, as he nodded along with her answer.

"I see. I take it you've all been abroad then?" Winters asked, quickly glancing between the two of them.

Clark replied before she even had the chance to start forming her response, "Yip. We just got back for a short leave actually. Now, our other friends are waiting and we desperately need Jess here to settle an argument for us, so I'm going to have to steal her away."

Winters' face fell for a split second before he composed himself. "Oh, of course," he said to Clark before turning his full attention to her, "It was nice to meet you Jessica. Maybe we'll run into each other again."

She smiled sweetly up at him as she took a step towards him, closing the gap between them. Standing on her tippy toes she placed one hand onto his upper-arm and pressed a soft kiss onto his cheek.

"Be safe Richard," she whispered, her lips an inch away from the delicate skin of his ear.

She felt his muscles tense under her touch but before he could say or do anything she stepped away from him. In one fluid movement she took Clark's arm and drifted down the stairs towards their table.

She resisted the urge to turn around to see if he was following her with his eyes, but she couldn't ignore the small pang of regret that bit at her stomach at his absence.

Winters POV

He watched her walk away, his body rooted to the spot as his brain tried to play catch-up with the events of the last few minutes.

 _God, has it only been minutes_ , he thought.

His heart pounded in his ears and his skin burned where her hand and lips had rested a second earlier. He wasn't one to get flustered, stoic was how most would describe him, but in the few moments he'd had with Jessica she'd definitely done just that.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled his eyes away from her retreating form just as she reached her table of friends. To his embarrassment he found Nixon staring at him from the foot of the stairs, a smug smirk on his face and a triumphant drink in his hand. Nixon always took far too much pleasure in those rare moments when he was caught off guard.

He walked down the stairs and as he reached Nixon he said, "Not a word."

His friend's lips moved as if he was going to say something anyway, but the warning look he shot him quickly changed his mind.

"C'mon, Welshie's got a table over there," his friends said with a too-hearty slap to his shoulder.

He secretly stole another glance in the direction she'd gone, but he couldn't spot her through the press of bodies. He'd seen beautiful woman before, but there was something so enigmatic about Jessica that he knew he'd always remember her even if they never met again. She was stunning, golden blonde hair and eyes such a light blue they almost seemed translucent. She was almost a full head shorter than him even though he assumed she was wearing heels. She moved so elegantly and confidently it felt like every step and breath were carefully thought out and perfectly controlled.

He shook his head, hoping it would banish his thoughts of her to the back of his mind.

As he reached the table Welsh had commandeered he noticed four other officers from Dog and Fox Company took up half of the space, while Harry seemed to be guarding their open chairs with his life.

"Well, so glad you could join us," Harry remarked dryly.

"Don't be so hard on the man Welshie. Can't you see he's in love?" Nixon replied as he nudged him in the ribs.

He scowled at his friend, in-love was a bit of a stretch, but both men ignored the look, choosing instead to laugh at his discomfort and raise their glasses.

"To Jessica King, for making Richard 'I-can-never-be-swayed' Winters flinch. God bless," Harry announced with a flourish.

"Hear-hear," Nixon cheered as they clinked their glasses together and downed the amber content.

With an exasperated sigh he took his empty seat, "Are you two done?"

"For now," Nixon retorted with a smile he'd learned to dread.

Pointing to the glass of water in-front of him, Harry asked, "We're deploying to Europe and you're still not drinking huh?"

"I don't see how being drunk or hungover will help me fight the Germans. Besides, someone has to keep you two out of trouble because heaven knows you have a knack for finding it."

Both men looked offended for all of two seconds before they shrugged as if to say 'fair enough'.

"You know," Nixon started, leaning forward an inch so only they could hear him, "if you fight 'em drunk you'll probably be able to deal with Sobel better."

Sobel, their CO who he'd hoped would prove as effective in combat a he'd been relentless during their basic training. Unfortunately, it was becoming more and more obvious to everyone that the man didn't have what it took to lead men into combat, not if you were hoping to get them out alive.

Taking a big drink of his water, and for a split second wishing it was something stronger, he replied, "We just have to try and protect the men from him as much as possible."

The two officers nodded, there wasn't anything more to say on the matter, for now at least.

Arlene POV

Sitting back, she watched the animated debate unfold between John and Alex. They'd started off discussing the merits of the various military units, specifically focusing on the new paratroopers which seemed to take up most of the space inside the ballroom. This however quickly descended into a heated debate about which one of their original units was the best. She'd heard the argument dozens of times before, but somehow the men always seemed to find new and creative way to insult one another while simultaneously praising themselves. It was an art really.

A soft hand came to rest on the back of her neck, a short squeeze acting as a silent greeting, before her best friend came into view, taking the open seat on her right.

Jessica was wearing the red dress she'd chosen for her months earlier when they were working together in occupied France. At the time it was meant to grab the attention of a very specific German officer, now it still grabbed the attention of most of the partygoers.

Jessica raised an eyebrow at the full champagne glass sitting pretty on the table in-front of her. She gave the smallest of nods to answer her question.

Briefly glancing at the arguing men Jessica rolled her eyes, the hint of a smile on the corner of her lips, before turning in her chair so she was facing her. "So glad you took my excellent advice and decided to wear the emerald dress."

"Did I have a choice?"

"Of course you did. But since I was right the correct choice was to wear the dress I'd suggested," Jessica responded as confidently as ever.

She took a sip of her champagne, the bubbles tickling her tongue before the cool liquid slid down her throat, as her lips curved into a smile around the thin glass.

She'd wanted to wear a simple black dress, but Jessica had threatened to throw the offending garment out the window into the streets below if she'd dared and she knew better than to call her bluff. So instead she'd gone with her friend's suggestion of the silk, emerald green tea length dress with delicate black lace covering her shoulders and forming a tight band around her cinched in waist.

Having conceded defeat on the dress front she'd decided to dramatically curl her thick, chocolate brown hair and pin it up in the height of fashion. She completed the look with a dramatic lick of eye make-up and a blood red lip.

 _If you're going to lose, do so spectacularly_ , she'd thought as she'd dressed.

Remembering why her friend was late to the party in the first place she eased back into the chair and asked, "How was the meeting?"

Jessica took a long sip of her champagne before replying, "Sad."

"That's to be expected. Having to explain to a young widow how her husband died shouldn't be easy."

"No, no it shouldn't. She's pregnant. It's a boy."

The two friends held each other's gaze for a few heartbeats. Jessica was the first to look away, her attention drifting to the three men sharing their table. Their little family, or what was left of it after years of fighting.

"It wasn't your fault Jessica. You did everything you could to get him out alive. You were cut-off behind enemy lines and he was badly injured. Benjie wouldn't want you to blame yourself."

She glimpsed Jessica's lips twitch, whether into a grimace or a smirk she couldn't tell from this angle.

Downing her glass but still staring at the men Jessica replied, "The replacements are meeting us in England correct?"

"Yes. While you were away we narrowed down the list from eight to five. The names were sent to the Unit and they'll make all the arrangements from there."

Jessica nodded, her attention far off on something she couldn't see.

She motioned to the waiter floating nearby that they needed another bottle of champagne and the young man happily darted towards the bar.

Just as she turned back to Jessica she found her friend studying her closely, the dark cloud that had temporarily settled over her light features now replaced by something far more determined. She sighed. She had an inclination as to what Jessica was thinking and she knew better than anyone that when her eyes took on that steely glint, trouble was soon to follow.

"No. Whatever you're thinking, the answer is no."

Jessica's lips parted into a grin and her stomach sank.

 _Here we go._

Just as she was about to launch a vehement objection to whatever her friend had in mind the waiter appeared out of thin air with a chilled bottle of champagne at the ready.

Jessica flashed him a dazzling smile and she was sure the man's head was still spinning when he turned to fill her empty glass.

"Thank you," she said to the man and smiled indulgently as he stammered out something resembling an acceptance.

Raucous laughter from the other side of the table made her turn away from the frazzled waiter and she raised a calculated eyebrow at her friends.

The three men quietened down, the act of surpassing their laughter making their chests bounce around underneath the thick uniform material.

"What?" Alex asked, his large oval eyes appearing even bigger as he feigned innocence.

"When the three of you laugh like that. Nothing goods come from it."

John, who at 20 years was the youngest of their group, couldn't hide his smirk. "Oh, c'mon Arlene baby. You gotta live a little."

"You know what? Don't tell me what you're planning. If I don't know, I can't be implicated. Just don't get arrested."

"When did we ever get arrested?" Clark exclaimed.

"London, one and a half years ago. Give or take a few days."

The three men smiled sheepishly and she rolled her eyes. Whatever mischief they were planning she wasn't going to be able to talk them out of it, so why even bother.

Turning back to Jessica she found her friend sipping delicately from her glass, her eyes scanning the room as if she was looking from someone in particular.

"You know, you really can be frightening when you want to be," Jessica said, her eyes still expertly scanning the faces around them.

"Really? Then why don't you ever listen to me?"

Her friend's lips curled into a smirk and she tore her eyes away from the crowd, "Because I am immune to your charms and your threats."

"Unfortunately," she retorted flatly, hiding her own smile behind her glass.

She was almost certain that if she and Jessica had met under different circumstances they would have become friendly acquaintances at best. In many ways their personalities were exact opposites. She was more serious and analytical, seeing risks everywhere and rarely acting without weighing up all the options and their consequences. Jessica often acted on instinct alone and when they'd just met she'd assumed she was reckless. Of course in time she'd learned to trust her friend's instincts as much as she trusted her own careful calculations.

Jessica appeared, for lack of better word, 'lighter' than she did, always quick with a smile and an inherent openness with new people that gained her many friends. She knew that bubbliness, perceived openness was simply her way of protecting herself. Very few people saw the real woman, the one that had seen and done terrible things, the one that never slept more than a handful of hours before the nightmares woke her screaming.

On the flipside she kept herself at a distance from everyone she didn't have to be close to, and often she came across as standoffish. Jessica and the men usually had to coerce her into talking to or dancing with new people, and as much as she hated to admit it she was usually glad they had afterwards.

Jessica snapped her fingers in-front of her face, saying, "Hello. Anyone home?"

She playfully swatted her hand away. Deciding her best defence was a good offence she asked, "Who were you looking for earlier?"

Jessica shrugged one shoulder, "No one really."

Leaning across the table Clark interjected, "She met an Officer on the way in."

"Off course she did," she added, earning her a scowl from Jessica.

Clark grinned, happy to share this titbit of news with the table. "He was quite the handsome fellow and seemed to be interested in our girl. He looked a bit sad when I pulled her away. I almost felt bad."

Alex grunted. "Feel bad? That'll be the day."

Clark tried to scowl but ended up looking rather proud and the men quickly started up another energetic conversation.

She turned her attention back to Jessica and asked, "So? Do we like him?"

"He seems nice enough and he is handsome, but that is not important right now."

"Why not?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"Because tonight we are focusing on your love life. Or lack thereof rather," Jessica responded.

She opened her mouth to argue but snapped it shut just as quickly. She recognised the glint in her friend's eyes and the way her jaw was set. She wasn't going to give up come hell or high water.

"So glad you decided to see sense. Now, stop trying to distract me and tell me what you think about that handsome paratrooper at four o-clock who cannot stop looking at you."

She rolled her eyes, trying to seem nonchalant, but truth be told she'd noticed the soldier in question the moment she'd walked in with her friends.

Casually tucking a stray strand of hair behind one ear she used this as an excuse to glance in the man's direction.

He was standing next to the bar with a group of young paratroopers in their dress green uniforms. His dark brown hair was fashionably slicked back, perfectly accentuating his sharp features just like his uniform showed off his lean frame. He laughed at something another man said, full lips curling away from white teeth, and his wild eyes darted to meet hers.

For a split second she registered surprise on his face, but this was quickly replaced by a smug smirk that made her blood boil in more ways than one.

Casually looking back to her friend she suppressed a groan when she was met with Jessica's triumphant grin.

Rearranging her features to look deathly serious Jessica said, "I think some introductions are in order, don't you?"

"He's with his friends Jess, and I'm with mine. Don't make a fuss."

Jessica leaned forward and put a hand on her knee, "Arlene, I love you. So trust me when I say you deserve to spend one night in the company of a handsome man you'll never see again. You need some fun. We'll all still be here in the morning."

"What about you and the Officer?"

Jessica sat back in her chair, "He'll make some girl very happy. I'm not her."

She was about to say something when Jessica's body language changed and a striking smile curled back her lips.

"Hello ma'am," a deep voice that sounded like whiskey and gravel spoke behind her shoulder, "mind if we join you?"

"Please do," Jessica replied, quickly shooting her a wink.

XXXXXXX

 _I'm back! Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter and you're as excited as I am for the (hopefully) wild ride ahead._

 _Have a stellar weekend and an amazing week. See you all soon._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 2**

Joe POV

"Right gents, a buddy of mine is working the door at this club. It's the hottest joint in town and he's gonna get us in ahead of all these other shmucks."

This had been the declaration made by Bill Guarnere in his thick Philly accent as they'd walked past the long line of soldiers queuing to get into the place, and so far it hadn't disappointed.

The club was bustling, the drinks cold and the women beautiful. One in particular had caught his eye when she'd walked in surrounded by three men wearing a military uniform he hadn't seen before.

She was tall, close to his own height, with long limbs that made it look like she was drifting instead of walking. She had dark oval eyes and rosebud lips set into sharp features. He'd followed her with his eyes as their group had made their way over to a table which had been marked as 'reserved', jealousy gnawing at his insides as one of the men placed a hand against her lower back.

Their group had spent the next hour hovering around the bar and he'd spent that time switching between conversations with his friends and stealing glances at her. At some stage another woman had joined their group, her red dress and easy smile catching the attention of a few men, but he only had eyes for the woman with the dark hair and darker eyes.

"So, who do you think they are?" Perconte, a short Italian paratrooper, had asked their group when the woman in the red dress had joined the group.

Malarkey, a soldier with flaming red hair and an open, friendly face offered his best guess, "British maybe? Those don't look like any of our uniforms."

"Nah," Bill dismissed him, "I heard 'em talking. American the lot of 'em."

Toye, Guarnere's closest friend, nodded. Where Guarnere was on the shorter side, with a thick jaw and thicker accent, Toye was tall and muscular, with dark hair and a mean right hook.

"It doesn't matter which unit they're with. Did you see what's one their uniforms? They've seen action," Toye said in his signature deep voice.

They all nodded, some sneaking glances at the three men sitting at the table. Even without the uniforms it would have been easy to tell they'd seen action from the way they carried themselves. It was an ease and confidence they all tried to mimic, but knew it didn't come close to the real deal. Not yet at least.

"So have the women," he added, the comment earning him a few sideways glances.

"The broads?" Bill asked before downing his beer and ordering another in one fluid movement.

"C'mon Bill, you've seen the way those two move. You tell me they're staying safely at home? I'm not saying they go around shooting Krauts, but they've seen some kind of action."

The Philadelphian conceded his point with one nod.

"Nurses probably. Some of them work close to the front lines," Malarkey offered the most reasonable explanation.

The conversation of the men around him quickly moved onto the topic of their CO, a man they were all dreading following into combat.

 _Still think my idea of fumbling a grenade next to him is pretty solid_ , he thought.

Happy to let the conversation move on without him he stole another look at the woman just to find her staring at him. He instantly had the distinct feeling he was being assessed and he shifted his weight around uncomfortably under her scrutiny. Trying his best to hide both his surprise and unease he twisted his lips into a smirk, a look he'd perfected at a very young age.

The woman looked away slowly, as if she hadn't even seen him.

With his newly poured cold beer in hand Bill declared, "C'mon, we're going over there."

"What?" Perconte asked, his head whipping from Bill's face to the suggested destination.

"Hey fellas. What's got this one worked up," George Luz asked as he joined them, casually jerking a thumb in Perconte's direction.

Luz and Perconte were the same height, although the former liked to say he was taller. He had sandy brown hair and quickly took up the mantel of Company jester.

"Wild Bill wants to go over to that table," Perconte replied, nodding in the direction of the woman's table.

Luz made a show of eyeing the table and its occupants before saying, "Here's the plan. You fellas distract the three guys and I'll do you all a favour and manage the ladies all by myself."

"Please, they'd eat you alive," Toye retorted, confidently sauntering past Luz and over to the table.

He shrugged, casually pushed himself off from the bar he'd been leaning against, and fell in next to Toye.

Toye stopped just over the shoulder of the brunette, catching the blonde's eye and earning himself a smile even he had to admit was pretty damn breath-taking.

"Hello ma'am, mind if we join you?" Toye asked.

"Please do," the blonde replied without a second's hesitation, "but you'll have to steal some more chairs."

The table only had one open chair and there were six of them. They quickly found and stole chairs from surrounding tables, ignoring any threats or insults directed their way. The entire time the original occupants of the table watched them closely. The women seemed amused while it felt like the men were weighing them up.

He was the last to find a chair and as he dragged it towards the table he tried and failed to find an available space.

"Here you go," the blonde said, catching his eye and waving him over to the gap she'd created between herself and the brunette.

For a second he wondered if she'd done it on purpose, waiting until the very last moment to create a space for him next to her friend. He dismissed the idea as he took his seat, she had no reason to do that.

"Well boys, now that you're all seated, let's quickly do the introductions because my champagne isn't getting any colder and neither are those beers," the blonde beamed.

"My name's Jessica and this is Arlene," she continued, pointing at the brunette who smiled politely and gave the table a small nod in greeting.

Pointing to the three men now sitting directly opposite them she said, "That's Clark, John and Alex. Yes, they are all officers but you will not salute at this table. I have a very strict 'no champagne and saluting' rule. You can call them sir if you must, don't want you all to lose your minds. I know how much you military boys enjoy a good rank."

"Hey! What if we want them to salute us?" Clark asked.

"Then you can find yourself another table," Jessica replied flatly, never batting an eyelid.

There was a tense moment as she and Clark held a staring contest. He stole a glance around the group to decipher if it had been a mistake to join them when he caught the faintest hint of a grin on Arlene's lips.

Alex and John were the first to really give up the game, both cracking up in unison and John smacking Clark so hard on the back his beer almost spilled all over the table.

"Nah fellas, no sirs or salutes tonight. We know who to take our orders from," Clark admitted through a chuckle, tilting his glass in Jessica's direction.

"Yes, sir," Bill said with a cheeky smile, "I'm Bill Guarnere, but everyone calls me Wild Bill or Gonorrhoea. That's Toye, Malarkey, Perconte, Luz and Joe."

They all exchanged a round of tilted glasses and hellos before the table fell into an easy buzz of separate conversations.

He was seated between the two women, and he honestly felt like he was sitting in the middle of some silent back-and-forth.

Trying his best to stay out of their line of sight he leaned back in this chair, throwing a casual arm over the back rest as he sipped his beer.

"So Joe, where are you from?" Jessica suddenly asked, with a smile he couldn't really place on her lips.

"Most recently San Francisco ma'am."

"Ma'am is my mother. Please, call me Jess. You know, Arlene was born in San Fran, lived there for a few years before the family moved. Isn't that right?"

Arlene gave Jessica a ruby-red smirk before turning her dark brown eyes to him. "That's right. We lived there until I was eleven, before we moved to Los Angeles."

He was concentrating so hard on what she was saying so he wouldn't get distracted by being close to her that he didn't register when she'd stopped speaking.

"Joe?" she asked, laying one tentative finger on his knee.

The spark of electricity that ran from her fingertip into the pit of this stomach jolted him awake. "Do you want to dance?" he blurted the first thing that came to mind.

She seemed surprised, her eyes quickly darting to the dance floor and then to her friend who was now deep in conversation with Bill and Luz, but her finger never lifted from his knee.

Turning her full attention back to him she smiled sweetly and said, "I'd love to."

Jessica POV

From the corner of her eye she saw Joe stand and offer Arlene his hand. For a moment she was worried her overly cautious friend was going to stay firmly seated, but then she accepted the offered hand and allowed Joe to lead her onto the dance floor.

She looked back to Luz and Bill, neither man having noticed her momentary distraction.

"Yeah, so then there was Currahee. This mountain they'd make us run up every day, come rain or blistering shine," Luz finished telling her about their time spent in basic training.

"Three miles up," Bill exclaimed, raising his glass, "three miles down," the other men finished.

"Well, I'm sure you'll be glad of it when you're trapesing through occupied Europe, dodging German bullets," she said.

"The Germans will be the least of our problems," Malarkey scoffed under his breath from across the table and she saw Toye nod his agreement.

"How so?" she asked and both men's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh…ummm…." Malarkey struggled to regain his composure.

Deciding to save his friend Bill offered, "Our CO, Sobel, well let's just say he ain't the kind of guy you want at your side when the bullets start flying. And you definitely don't want to be following him into a fight."

She nodded, "I see. I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully something changes before you really get stuck into the fight."

"Yeah, like an act of God," Toye remarked, and by the look he shared with the other men she wasn't sure they wouldn't be taking matters into their own hands.

"Tab, Shifty," Malarkey waved two more soldiers over to their table.

Two tall men joined them, both were attractive, but the one was sheepish, almost shy, while the other moved like a true ladies' man.

Remembering his manners Malarkey quickly introduced the two men. "This is Floyd Talbart and Shifty Powers. Gents, this is Jessica, Alex, Clark and John," he said, pointing to each individual as he spoke.

Her three friends nodded politely to the new arrivals before continuing their conversation.

Indicating the two open chairs Arlene and Joe had left she said, "Please, take a seat."

Shifty smiled sweetly and took Arlene's open seat, but Talbart held out a hand to her, a crooked smile on his lips, and asked, "Can I have this dance?"

She arched one eyebrow, the corner of her lips twisting up a fraction as she studied the hand hanging mid-air.

 _Why the hell not?_

Softly placing one hand in his she stood, "Why not?"

He smiled triumphantly and she saw the sneaky wink he shot his friends behind her back.

He led her to the dance floor and smoothly swooped her into his arms as they started to glide across the packed floor to the beat of a mid-tempo song.

Talbart was a wonderful dancer, moving them confidently across the dance floor while expertly avoiding a collision with any other couple. The volume of the music and the tempo of their dance made it impossible to have a meaningful conversation, so instead they shared playful glances and carefree smiles.

As the song reached its crescendo he spun her out, twirling her around and around. She felt the red silk curl up her legs as it spun out, a few rebellious strands of blonde hair tickling her cheeks. She tilted her head back, giggling into the music and nearly falling into his arms as he pulled her closer, his own chest reverberating with his deep laugh.

Winters POV

A blur of deep crimson fabric moving across the dance floor caught his attention. Only half listening to the conversation Nixon and Harry were having he scanned the moving crowd trying to find the source of the sudden thud in his chest.

He was so deep in thought he didn't realise his friends had fallen silent, or noticed the side-long glance they shared.

"You see somebody you know?" Nixon asked, jabbing him in the ribs with his elbow when he didn't respond.

He jerked his face towards his friend, a scowl etched across his forehead. "No. Maybe."

He hated feeling this unsettled. Like a schoolboy trying to steal a glance at his crush.

Nixon chuckled and from the corner of his eye he saw Harry's gap-toothed grin.

"There she is. Dancing with Sergeant Talbart," Nixon said, casually tilting his glass towards the centre of the dancefloor.

He did his best to resist the urge to whip his head in the direction his friend had shown, instead moving painfully slowly.

This time she was easy to spot. Her red dress curling up around her legs as she was spun out, head thrown back and mouth open as she laughed.

He felt his lips move into a smile as he watched her dance and laugh with a reckless abandonment he didn't often see since the weight of war and adulthood had settled on all their shoulders. A pang of jealousy hit him square in the face when his view of her was obstructed by the silhouette of her dancing companion.

Talbert was a sergeant in his Company. He was a good soldier and a good man, but he loved the ladies and from what he'd heard and seen they loved him. He was easy going and charming, always quick with a laugh and a light. The jealousy twisted his insides further when the song slowed and they pressed their bodies close together, the young couple swaying to the music as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You know, you can just go and cut in," Harry rudely interrupted his dark train of thoughts with his flawless logic.

He shrugged. "She seems happy enough."

Harry shook his head and he heard Nixon's exasperated sigh next to him.

As if to prove the point Nixon stood, straightened his uniform and said, "Well, if you're not going to break them up, I will."

He was about to protest when Nixon's window of opportunity was resolutely closed by another soldier wearing the same uniform as Captain Clark.

This man was slightly shorter than Clark, with dark blond hair cropped short and broad shoulders. He placed a hand on Jessica's lower back as he said something to the couple. Talbart took a step back, bowed his head to hide the blush creeping into his cheeks at something Jessica said, before walking towards a pretty redhead who was standing by the bar with her equally attractive brunette friend.

The other soldier pulled her towards him and she followed his lead as if it came as naturally to her as breathing. He watched them sway to the music, catching glimpses of whispered words, shared glances and knowing smiles.

He looked away, feeling for all the world like he was intruding on a very personal moment. For the first time in a long time he wished he drank, sure that the taste of alcohol would help soothe the feeling clawing at his stomach.

Nixon sat down dramatically. "Well shit, just missed my window of opportunity."

"Maybe next time Nix," he remarked, hoping he sounded casual.

Nixon rolled his eyes and downed his glass. Slamming it down on the table he declared, "Just ask her to dance for God's sake."

"We're going to war Nix. Now isn't the time for distractions."

"Really? Well hell, and here I was thinking now's the ideal time for distractions!"

He shot his friend a dirty look, earning a snicker from Harry who was enjoying the little show.

"In all seriousness Dick. She's the first woman you've seriously looked at since I met you. Live a little."

He patted his friend's shoulder, hoping to put the subject to rest by saying, "Nix, look, she's already gone."

Nixon frowned, his thick eyebrows almost meeting in the middle as he searched the dancefloor.

"Where the hell did she go?" Nixon exclaimed, sounding almost offended.

He and Harry shrugged, neither one knowing where she'd gone or how she'd seamlessly melted into the crowd.

 _Where did she go_ , he repeated to himself, unaware that he'd be repeating that question over and over again over the next few days.

Arlene POV

Resting her cheek on Joe's shoulder she took deep, deliberate breaths, trying to settle the butterflies swarming in her stomach while committing his scent to memory.

She'd lost count of the number of songs they'd spent entangled in each other's arms. Some had been fast, and they were good fun, but she loved the slower songs because Joe would pull her close as they swayed to the music.

The first notes of a familiar song started to play and immediately she was transported back to a musky barn in France filled with British Commandos as they anxiously waited for Jessica and Benjie to return to them.

Her chest constricted and her grip on Joe tightened involuntarily as the memory of the hours that had followed flashed before her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Joe asked tenderly, moving his hand from the small of her back to caress her cheek.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and met his worried gaze. "Nothing. Just a bad memory. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You….you've been over haven't you?"

She averted her eyes from his, staring intently at the back of the head of the woman dancing next to them.

Joe sighed and she thought she heard him curse under his breath. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business."

She looked back to him and tried her best to soften her features. "Now you have nothing to be sorry about. It's a fair question, I know I don't really act or look the way most of the women back home do."

"I know I've sure as hell never met anyone like you," he replied, a blush tinting his cheeks as soon as the words left his lips.

She smiled coyly, looking away momentarily as she tried to settle the flutter in her stomach. With a deep breath she looked back up and said, "We work with the men at the front. Sometimes behind the front. Have been for quite some time now."

"But you're American?"

"We volunteered early on. We work mostly with the British."

He nodded as he mulled over her words and she waited for the inevitable dash once he decided this wasn't the company he'd signed up for, for the evening.

To her surprise his grip on her hand tightened and he pulled her even closer to him.

"So you and Jessica are nurses?" he asked.

She bit the inside of her cheek, weighing up telling the whole truth or going with his assumption. Finally, deciding that something in-between was best she answered, "Sometimes and other times we help to gather and disseminate intelligence while doing our best to hamper enemy movements."

He arched up one eyebrow.

She titled her head to one side, waiting for his response to the revelation.

She felt him shift his grip on her hand and she followed his lead without hesitation as he spun her out and brought her back to the warmth of his body in one fluid movement.

"How long have you been fighting?" he asked.

"Since the start. It's been a while."

"I'd say!" he replied, a smile spreading across his handsome face.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, perplexed by his unusual reaction.

He leaned down so his lips were an agonising inch away from her ear. "I realised this means you'll be in Europe. So tonight's not the last time I get to have you in my arms."

"You assume we'll be working in the same area."

"Seems we're all gonna start from England and that island is only so big. I'll find a way to see you again."

"Aren't you confident," she retorted.

"When it comes to you, let's call it single minded determination."

Her lips curled into a smile, anticipation and the heat of his breath on her skin sending a flush up from her chest and into her cheeks.

A soft touch to her shoulder broke the intense heat building between them. She turned her head to the side to find Jessica's twinkling eyes flicking knowingly between their flushed faces.

"John's friend is in charge of security at the Empire State building. He's pulled a few string for us to get access to the viewing deck at the top of the building tonight. We're taking some champagne and heading over there now," Jessica said, her face perfectly neutral.

"Oh," she replied, an all too harsh twinge of disappointment snapping at her insides.

The right corner of Jessica's lips twitched upwards a fraction and she knew then she'd been caught out. Before she could say anything Jessica turned her full attention to Joe. "Of course you have to come along Joe! I just won't take no for an answer and ask Arlene, I can be magnificently stubborn when I want to be."

Joe hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting to hers to gauge her reaction to Jessica's invitation.

Hoping to make it easy for him to decline the invitation she said, "Jess, they probably need to deploy the morning."

"Nope," her friend replied, popping the P, "I spoke to Tab and he said they're only deploying tomorrow afternoon late. And were told to report to barracks at 10:00 only."

"Oh, well….ummmm…..Joe you don't have to come along. I'm sure you want to spend the evening with your friends," she said, her mind suddenly unable to form a coherent thought or sentence.

He smiled, soft and warm, as he manoeuvred his hand so their fingers were intertwined. "I'm gonna spend months with these guys. I think they can survive one night without me."

Her lips turned up into a smile as she lost her train of thought in his dark eyes.

"Perfect," Jessica exclaimed with a clap of her hands.

They both snapped their heads in her direction and she was sure Joe could feel her pulse racing through the palm of her hand.

"Let's go. The boys are waiting for us at the coat check," her friend said, already turning on her heel and heading for the door before she'd even finished the sentence.

Joe held onto her hand as he deftly led her through the crowded room. He didn't head straight for the stairs leading to the exit though, instead stopping by their old table, now fully occupied by Easy men she recognised and others she hadn't met.

Joe bent down to say something to Malarkey she couldn't hear over the noise in the room. The young redhead glanced past Joe to flash her a mischievous smile which made her flinch, suddenly embarrassed and wondering what Joe had told him.

Joe slapped his friend on the shoulder and led her wordlessly towards the stairs. They quickly ascended them, the crisp noise of the ballroom almost instantaneously muffled by the heavy carpet used to line the hallway.

Joe released his hold on her hand and offered her his arm. She slipped her arm through his, her body leaning into his as they neared her waiting group of friends.

"What did you say to Malarkey?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"That your friends had other plans and invited me along."

"And the look he gave me? It wasn't exactly one of pure innocence."

He chuckled. "That's just his face. I think the last time he looked innocent was the day he was born. And I'm sure that was short lived."

"Well, he's Irish. It's in his blood," she teased.

As they reached the waiting group John held out her jacket to Joe. She raised her eyebrow at her friend, silently demanding to know what he was up to. He ignored her, instead helping Jessica slip into her coat as Joe held hers out for her.

She assumed Joe hadn't checked anything in, because as soon as she'd slipped into her pitch black coat and belted it around her waist he offered her his arm and they followed Jessica and John out of the club, Clark and Alex taking up the rear.

XXXXXXX

 _Hi everyone! Sorry for posting the chapter a bit late. We went away for the Easter weekend and I left my laptop at home._

 _I hope everyone had a great weekend and a wonderful start to the week._

 _You're going to hear this a lot (like a hell of a lot), but I just wanted to say thank you for everyone that left a review and all the follows and support._


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 3**

Clark POV

Standing on the observation deck of the Empire State building, the cool late summer air had turned cold as the wind snaked between them.

With his back against the railing he looked to his right, studying his companions. Alex had his arms around Jessica, using his frame to shield her from the cold wind as they admired the twinkling New York skyline. Her body was slumped into his, her head resting against his chest. She looked relaxed, a rare sight.

John was standing next to them, hands holding onto the railing, and he could see him speaking before Alex replied with a roll of his eyes to whatever had been said.

Jessica caught him staring and shot him a wink before her eyes drifted to the young couple standing between them. He followed her gaze, the inevitable smile crossing his lips when he found Arlene locked in Joe's arms, the couple deep in a whispered conversation, they were blind to the rest of the world.

Since the start of the war, or let's say their involvement in it, he'd only ever seen Arlene entertain a man once. Of course most of their time was spent in some hell hole trying not to get shot, but whenever they had a chance the three men fully embraced the divergence a pleasant conversation could provide.

Jessica was always sociable, and he'd laughed on many an occasion at the broken hearted look on some young trooper's face when the man realised he couldn't keep up with her and she'd already moved on.

Arlene on the other hand didn't even start a friendly conversation if there wasn't a chance of it becoming something more. And there almost never was.

Earlier that evening he'd shared a knowing look with the other two men when he'd recognised the determined set to Jessica's jaw when she'd spotted Joe. He knew well enough that when she had that look it was best not to stand in her way. What had surprised him was how relatively willingly Arlene had gone along with her plan.

 _She must really have the hots for the guy_ , he thought.

Movement drew his attention away from the couple. His three friends made their way over to him, dramatically sneaking past Joe and Arlene, earning Alex a playful slap on the arm from the latter.

"They look happy," John remarked, casually jerking his thumb in their direction.

"I think they'd be happy anywhere right around now. Even more so if they were alone," Jessica said, a smirk on the corner of her lips.

"Well, why don't we all head back to the hotel? Have a nightcap at the bar. Those two love birds can come with or do their own thing," he suggested.

Everyone nodded and Jessica said, "I'll let them know."

Joe POV

The wind blew a stray strand of Arlene's chocolate brown hair against his cheek as he stood behind her, her slim frame wrapped securely in his arms.

The view of New York that stretched out all around them was breath-taking, but he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, doing his utmost to drink her in and commit every feeling, touch and smell to memory.

He felt her take a deep breath a second before a content little sigh escaped her lips. He smiled at the sound, happy to believe he was part of the reason she was happy in that moment.

"Arlene, Joe," Jessica said as she came to stand next to them.

His eyes snapped open and he looked over to her a bit too quickly. He'd been so lost in his own world he hadn't even realised she'd moved from her initial position on their other side.

"M'hm," Arlene replied lazily without moving her head to look at her friend or make a move to extract herself from his arms.

"Joe, would you mind terribly if I stole her away from you for one minute?"

"No, go ahead."

He unfolded his arms from around Arlene and she stepped away from him, squeezing his arm once with her right hand before she followed Jessica a short distance away from him and the other men.

He was suddenly acutely aware of the cold wind, his body longingly noting her absence the moment she'd stepped away from him.

 _Fuck, what's gonna happen tomorrow when there's an ocean and a war between us?_

The thought popped into his head before he could stop it. He'd never been one to think about any relationship in terms of what could happen in the future, let alone one that didn't really exist yet with a woman he'd only met hours earlier.

He frowned and stuffed his hands deep into his pockets, fists clenched.

 _Pull it together Liebgott, she's just another broad_ , he told himself, even though he didn't really believe that.

Arlene POV

Jessica stopped and turned to face her a short distance away from the men, just far enough so the wind would blow away their words.

"You look less smug than I thought you would," she said, knowing her friend must be gloating on the inside.

Jessica rolled her eyes, but a pretty little smile played on her lips. "I'm saving my 'I-told-you-so' for the next time you refuse to go along with one of my brilliant plans."

"Oh, I see. Thanks for the warning."

"Pleasure," Jessica said and both friends smiled at the pleasant turn of events.

"Listen, as much as I would love to discuss in more detail how right I was, the boys want to head back to the hotel for a nightcap and the guard needs to lock up here."

"Oh, of course," she tried to sound light but by the way Jessica's one eyebrow shot up she knew her voice had been laced with disappointment.

"Don't be so dramatic," Jessica teased her, "of course Joe's invited along. You two are just far too adorable together to break-up now."

She was glad it was dark because she could feel a blush warm her cheeks.

"But," Jessica added, pausing to make sure she was listening, "I'm going to convince Clark to sleep on the couch in his room so I can steal his bed for the night. So you'll have our room all to yourself."

She opened her mouth to object, equally horrified and thrilled at what her friend was suggesting, when Jessica just continued, "Just listen before you give me an hour long speech on modesty and decorum and whatever other silly excuses you can come up with."

She scowled at her friend, but snapped her mouth shut, knowing a lost cause when she saw one.

Jessica's face turned serious, her eyes suddenly looking larger, almost vulnerable. "You haven't allowed yourself to connect with someone since Michael. And I understand, you know I do, but I haven't seen you this relaxed in years and honey, you deserve to be happy. I'm not saying sleep with the man, if all you do is talk all night so be it, but please just allow yourself one night of living in the moment and not worrying about tomorrow. It may do you some good."

"What about you?"

"I already told you. Clark loves sleeping on a couch," Jessica replied with a naughty little smirk and wink.

Her lips turned up at the corners, her friend knew how to distract you if you weren't careful. "That's not what I meant and you know it. For all your talk, smiles and flirting, I've never seen you allow anyone to get close to you."

"Let's focus on one challenge at a time huh? I feel like one of our love lives is enough work for both of us," Jessica replied, deftly deflecting the question.

She wanted to press the issue, but Jessica cut her off with a simple, "Great! I'll tell the boys you're tired and I'll see you in the morning round ten."

With that she turned, blonde hair and crimson fabric flowing in the wind as she headed back to the group of waiting men.

Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves she followed her friend. Her eyes quickly settled on Joe's and an involuntary smile spread across her face.

As she reached the group he held out an arm and she laced hers through his as if she's done it a thousand times before. He smiled sweetly down at her, his eyes creasing ever so slightly in the corners and she wondered what he was thinking in that moment.

"So, we were just telling Joe we're heading back to the hotel for a nightcap," Alex interrupted their private moment.

She looked away from Joe to her friends, swallowing she said, "Oh, actually I'm rather tired so I'll have to call it a night."

To her credit Jessica managed to looked genuinely disappointed when she said, "Oh no. C'mon, just one drink."

"C'mon Jess, leave her alone. You know how miserable she gets when she's tired," Clark interjected on her behalf.

Jessica huffed dramatically, crossing her arms over her chest she relented. "Fine. But you owe me a drink."

"Deal," she replied.

Jessica turned her attention to Joe when she said, "Well, we're going to take the long way back to the hotel. So Joe would you mind making sure she gets to her room safely?"

Joe looked down at her as he replied, "Anytime."

She couldn't stop the silly smile in time and before she knew it her friends were rolling their eyes and laughing at her schoolgirl antics.

With a forceful slap on Joe's shoulder Clark said, "You take care of her with your life. Anything happens to her and you'll lose it."

"Yes, sir," Joe responded, his jaw set.

Alex and John led the way into the building to the elevator and Jessica linked her arm with Clark's as they followed in their wake.

Just before stepping inside the building Jessica glanced over her shoulder, shooting them a playful wink.

"I assume she wasn't really upset," Joe said as he led them inside.

"No, trust me when she's really upset you'll know. Just pray you're never on the receiving end."

"Is that right?"

"Oh yes. If she's really upset, you'll get the sense of your life flashing before your eyes."

"Damn."

"She's just naughty that one. She has a wild streak in her."

When Joe didn't reply she quickly glanced up. His lips were pursed and he seemed to be nodding to himself.

"Joe?" she asked as they entered the brightly lit interior.

"Remind me that I owe her a drink."

She leaned into his body as they crossed the threshold into the lift and as the doors closed behind them with the chime of a bell she whispered, "You and me both."

Arlene POV

She and Joe had split up from her friends after the first block. As promised they were going to take the scenic route back which meant Jessica had given them the perfect excuse to get some time alone and slip unnoticed into the hotel.

She spent the walk tucked into his side as they shared sweet nothings about home and the people and things they passed. They both avoided the topic of war, his imminent deployment or her future involvement in the cause. She wasn't sure what his reason was for steering clear of those subjects, he didn't seem like the type to flinch away from any obstacle, but she sure knew hers.

She honestly didn't want to think about a near future where he wasn't part of her life. In all honesty she felt like a naïve little girl for the way she'd become attached to him in a matter of hours, but the ship has sailed and there was no going back.

It was during this walk, in one of those perfectly peaceful quiet moments, that she realised the depths of her potential feelings for him and the danger they posed. They were both going back into the war and the last thing either one needed was a distraction. It was all good and well for the boys that had a sweetheart safely tucked away back in the States, their main worry was whether or not she'd find some 4-F she'd rather be with. But with her, the risks were more of the life and death variety.

 _So we'll just have this one night. And that's it_ , she decided, her stomach twisting painfully at the thought. She tightened her grip on his arm.

She felt Joe glancing down at her, his dark eyes searching her face for signs of what was on her mind. She looked up and tried to give him a reassuring smile, the way he tilted his head told her he wasn't buying any of it.

"You gonna tell me?" he asked when she quickly broke eye contact.

"I wonder if it's going to be a cold winter."

"No, you're not."

"How do you know?"

"'Cos I may not know much 'bout you, but I know a bull story when I hear one."

She looked away from him, across the street to a large crowd of Marines making their way in the opposite direction.

"Hey?" he implored, gently tugging at her arm interlinked with his.

She looked away from the crowd, turning her face up to look at him, ensuring she had a smile on her lips. "It was nothing. I was just thinking about work, but I'd rather not talk about it tonight."

He studied her for a moment, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. When his features relaxed he bent down, planting a soft kiss on the top of her head that made her heart speed up annoyingly.

When they were at her hotel's entrance she stopped and said, "This is me."

He glanced at the large glass door, soft light spilling out onto the sidewalk where they were standing.

Up to the moment they'd stopped at her door she hadn't sure what her next move would be. Would she invite him up or end the night with a chaste kiss at the door? But in that moment, the thought of watching him walk away from her into the dark streets seemed so senseless.

"Walk me to my door?" she tentatively asked, trying her best not to sound forward.

Joe let out a long exhale, almost as if he'd been holding his breath and replied, "I'd love to."

Still holding onto his arm she led the way across the busy lobby. They'd been put up in one of the nicer hotels in the area, with its marble floors, thick dark blue carpets and large crystal chandeliers. The lobby itself was relatively quiet with only a few hotel guests making their way to and from the bar situated to the right of the entrance, tucked neatly into a corner.

When they reached the lift she let out a sigh when she saw no one else was waiting yet. She hated sharing small spaces with strangers and with Joe's presence unsettling her already she really didn't need the additional distraction.

"Floor, sir?" the pimply faced bellboy asked.

"Ten please," she answered smoothly before Joe had a chance to say anything. The last thing she wanted was everyone listening to know this wasn't their hotel but hers.

The boy smiled politely like he'd been trained and pressed the button. She glanced towards the door to see who was coming and going and then quickly scanned the room to judge if anyone looked out of place.

It was an old habit, one she was certain wasn't needed here, but habits were hard to break and this one had saved her life before.

The lift pinged behind her as the doors opened and she turned her attention back to the handsome man beside her as he led her inside. The boy reached around them and pressed the button for their floor before stepping back so the doors could close without him.

When she smiled to herself Joe asked, "What?"

"This morning the bellboy got into the lift with us."

Joe unlocked their arms and turned so he was facing her, their bodies only a delicate inch apart. His lips curved into a smirk. "That's because I told the kid I could manage it without him."

A thrill shot up her spine, straight into her heart, making it race. Using her years of experience at acting cooler than she felt she curved one corner of her lips up and purred, "Oh, really? And why would you want to do that?"

He curved one finger under her chin as he closed the space between them. She felt his warm breath tickle the sensitive skin of her lips and her eyes fluttered closed, anticipation running hot in her veins.

 _Ping._

The sound of the elevator doors opening broke the spell and she nearly swore out loud.

"Damnit," Joe cursed under his breath as he dropped his hand from her face.

A giggle bubbled up her chest and spilled from between her lips.

He ran a nervous hand through his hair, his confidence of a second earlier all but gone. She smiled fondly up at him. Seeing this side of him, and knowing it was something about her that brought it out made her feel confident.

Gently taking his one hand she led him out the lift. With a glance over her shoulder she said, "You should walk me to my door."

He allowed her to lead him down the long, carpeted corridor, every step building the anticipation inside of her.

Reaching her door she let go of his hand in search of the room key tucked inside her purse. For one terrible moment she worried what state the room had been left in. She knew Jessica had run out to make her appointment and her friend never was one for keeping things neat and tidy on the best of days.

 _No, she had a plan to begin with. Wouldn't surprise me if she left candles burning and a bottle of champagne on ice._

As she slid the key into the slot she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist a second before a thrills shot down her back as Joe's lips grazed the back of her neck, making her hairs stand on end.

He trailed soft kisses down from the nape of her neck to the start of her dress and it took all her self-restraint not to drop the key to the floor. With one satisfying click the door opened and in a blur of limbs and fabric he guided them through the door, shutting it firmly behind them.

She'd been half right about the room. There was no champagne on ice, but everything was perfectly placed with one side lamp basking the room in a soft, golden glow.

She turned in Joe's arms and snaked her hands around the back of his neck.

"Now, where were we?" she asked with a coy smile.

"I was about to show you what I've wanted to do since I saw you walking into the club," he replied, his voice deep and filled with gravel.

She kept her eyes locked onto his, silently daring him to make good on his promise.

He left one arm around her waist as he lifted the other to her cheek so he could cup her face in his hand.

He lowered his face to hers and their lips met. The kiss started off soft but with each passing moment the fire coursing between them grew, intensifying the passion of the kiss with it.

She used one hand to remove his military cap, tossing it to the ground so she could run her fingers through his hair. He wound the hand that had been resting against her check behind her neck, pulling their lips even closer together as she pressed her body against his, unable to be close enough to him.

His tongue traced the contours of her lips and she willingly parted them. She took one step back and just like that they were locked in a dance from the door to the bed, their lips and bodies never parting.

Joe POV

They stopped moving suddenly and he realised they'd reached the edge of the bed. Reluctantly he parted their lips, a satisfied smirk on his when the action was met with a moan in protest from Arlene.

He traced a path with his lips on the delicate skin of her neck from behind her ear to her collarbone. Her hands made quick work of his jacket's buttons. He struggled out of the stiff material and as soon as he was free tossed the garment aside, his hands hungrily returning to her body.

She tangled her fingers into his hair, crashing their lips together. His fingers searched for the edge of her dress zip, and finding it he pulled down on the metal head. As the silk fell to the floor to pool at their feet his fingers skimmed up her sides. Goosebumps rose in the wake of his touch and a low moan escaped her chest.

Suddenly her lips were gone from his. His eyes snapped open in panic only to find her stretched out on the crisp white linens of the double bed, her royal blue lace underwear the only thing standing between him and all of her.

He admired her from his vantage point, taking the opportunity to carve the perfect sight into every inch of his brain. The way her dark curls had started to come undone, forming a soft pillow for her sharp face, eyes almost as black as night staring back up at him boldly.

Wordlessly, and without looking away from her, he discarded what remained of his clothes, allowing them to fall where he stood.

He crawled onto the bed, savouring every inch of her skin. He kissed a path from her right knee up her inner thigh, her scent of lavender and roses intoxicating him with every inch gained until his head was spinning.

"Joe," she whispered into the golden light.

"Yes love," he husked against the thin fabric of her underwear.

"I need you," she murmured as she lifted her hips.

He wanted to spend more time exploring every inch of her, but with those words his self-restraint crumbled. He slid the dark lace off her hips and down her legs until they too found a place somewhere on the floor.

Grazing the length of his body against hers it felt like two magnets being pulled together. He hovered over her for a moment, dark eyes meeting dark eyes as he drank her in. He lowered himself on-top of her, their lips the first to meet in a deep kiss that left him breathless.

He waited a moment, needing to be sure she was comfortable before he continued. She started to slowly move under him and he easily met her pace. He'd rested his weight on his one arm and used this free hand to caress her hair, the other grabbed onto the thigh of the leg she'd hooked over his hip.

Her nails dug into his shoulder and bicep as he quickened the pace, driving them both to the edge.

Arlene POV

She threw her head back, eyes closed as she gripped Joe closer to her. She felt a calloused finger tracing her lips and opened her mouth to take it between her teeth.

"Fuck," Joe growled, plunging his face into her neck as their movements became more urgent.

She moaned, tension building deep inside of her to the point where she no longer had control over it.

She gasped loudly and pressed her hips against his to increase the pressure between them for the final push.

On cue the tension building inside of her erupted, sending energy shooting from her deepest core into her furthest extremities. She lost her hold on Joe's finger, throwing her head back and screaming, "Joe!"

"I'm right here," he growled in her ear, his fingers digging into her thigh as if he was holding onto her for dear life.

His movements became more erratic, more desperate.

"Arlene," he moaned as he shuddered, muscles trembling on-top of her.

For a few heartbeats, where all she could hear was her heart pounding furiously in her ears, neither one moved. Then he moved his weight to her left and collapsed onto the bed, half of his body still covering hers.

His breath tickled her cheek and she turned her face to look at him. His eyes were closed, a light sheen of sweat glistening in the light of the bedside lamp as some of his brown hair clung to his forehead. She traced a finger along his cheek, down his sharp nose and across his full lips. He smiled at her touch and she returned the smile even though he couldn't see her.

"You'll stay the night?" she asked softly.

His eyes drifted open and she followed the path of his long lashes.

He stared intently at her, his brow furrowed together as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek. "I'll stay forever if you want me to."

She sighed in relief despite the ache in her chest.

"I'll be right back," she said.

Untangling their bodies she got up from the bed and made her way to the bathroom to freshen up and get ready for bed.

She closed the door behind her and turned on the neon light. After the golden glow of the room the light in the bathroom felt harsh, almost hurting her eyes.

She quickly glanced in the mirror and cringed at the way her hair was standing in all directions, half up and half down. Her cheeks and chest were flushed a deep red and a quick glance at her thigh showed red finger marks which she knew would bruise.

She smirked at the future bruises, their memory still fresh on her skin.

Deciding she'd rather be in bed with Joe than spend time faffing in the bathroom she skipped the shower she'd planned, rather choosing to wash her face and clean herself up a bit before brushing out her hair and brushing her teeth.

Heading back into the bedroom she found Joe laying on his stomach, eyes closed and face relaxed. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

 _Typical,_ she thought fondly.

Heading to the nearest closet she found the old, worn in, nightgown she preferred to sleep in. She pulled it out and slipped it over her head as she walked to the bed, stopping at the side to admire the man lying there.

His basic training had exposed him to the sun because his arms and legs were tanned while his chest and torso remained white. He face was peaceful, the few fine lines around his eyes gone and his mouth a fraction open.

For a second she imagined seeing him like this again and again, allowing her heart to savour the dream until her mind brought it to a jarring halt.

She'd made her decision and what they had shared, all they could share, wasn't going to change her mind.

With one last look she turned off the light and climbed onto the bed, the mattress shifting beneath her weight despite her attempt to be as delicate as possible. Joe groaned as he reached one lazy arm out to her while his eyes remained shut. She scooted in close to him, taking the dishevelled blanket with her, and he turned onto his side, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back against his front.

She closed her eyes, feeling his chest rise and fall against her back, his breathing already deep and slow. The press of his lips to the back of her head and a mumbled, "Sweet dreams beautiful," were the last things she knew before slipping into her own dreams.

Arlene POV

Waking up she kept her eyes shut, refusing to acknowledge the world away from the warm embrace she was wrapped up in. She listened intently to Joe's breathing, still deep and low, and her mind flashed back to the night they'd spent together.

She felt her lips curve up into a smile as her skin remembered the touch of his lips, the heat of his body pressed against hers. She was so consumed by the memory, that remembering what she had to do next felt like a punch to the stomach.

Taking a deep breath she steeled herself, taking the time to remind herself that she was doing the right thing for both of them.

Slowly, carefully, she lifted Joe's arm and pulled herself away from his body. She slipped a pillow into the space she'd left and carefully climbed off of the bed. Reaching her cupboard she grabbed a lightweight cream coloured coat that reached below her knees and wrapped herself up, tying it firmly around her waist. She found the shoes she'd been wearing the previous evening strewn close by and slipped them on.

Finally covered up she glanced towards the bed, a pang of guilt and regret raking her body as she stared at Joe.

 _C'mon, just get it over with._

She turned away from him and walked to the small table set up against one wall of the room. When they'd arrived in the room two days earlier she'd noticed the pen and hotel paper placed neatly in one corner of the small brown table. She tore off one piece of paper and grabbed the pen, not even bothering to sit down, she wrote the letter she'd rehearsed in her mind since she'd made her decision.

 _My Dearest Joe_

 _I'm sorry to leave you so suddenly and without a real goodbye. I could give you a thousand reasons but they would all be a hollow excuse. The truth is I'm scared that if I say goodbye to your face I'll lose my nerve._

 _I wish things were simpler. That I could stay at home, waiting impatiently for any word of your wellbeing and counting the days until we could be together again._

 _But life, as you know, isn't always simple and mine is particularly complicated and you don't need that distraction when all your attention should be on surviving the coming fight._

 _I understand this may all be grossly arrogant and maybe you were planning on slipping out of my life without a word anyway, but in case it's not, in case you were hoping for more, this is goodbye._

 _Despite what you believe or others may say, you are a wonderful man and you deserve a long, wonderful life filled with love and laughter. I do hope, even if the thought breaks my heart, that you will find someone to spend it with._

 _Thank you for bringing colour lost long ago back into my world. I will never forget you and I will always cherish our time together._

 _Arlene_

Rereading the letter she felt she had so much more to say, but deep down she knew whatever she wrote would feel lacking so these words would have to do.

Folding the paper in-half she wrote his name on the front before putting the pen down and walking to her side of the bed.

She gently placed the folded piece of paper on the pillow he was holding where she hoped he'd see it as soon as he awoke. Glancing at the watch on the wall she sighed, it was already 08:00 and he'd need to be up soon in order to return to barracks on time.

She resisted the urge to lean over and kiss him, worried it would either wake him or pull her back into bed. Instead she smoothed away a few wayward stands of hair from his forehead, inhaled deeply and turned to walk to the door.

Closing the door behind her as quietly as possible she leaned back against the hard wood for a moment.

 _Shit, shit, shit._

Pushing herself away she walked down the hall, past the elevators to the other side of the long corridor.

She knocked on a room's door and before she'd finished the second knock the door swung open and she was greeted by a smiling Clark.

"Morning sunshine. Don't you look surprisingly well rested," he teased as he stood to one side so she could enter.

She pushed past him without a word and went straight for the phone. Calling down to the lobby she asked the gratingly chipper receptionist to call her room in 10 minutes to wake Joe up.

She'd done enough to the man already, she wasn't going to be reason he was late in returning to barracks as well.

Putting down the receiver she turned to find Clark staring at her, arms crossed over his chest, brow furrowed.

"Do I need to go kill someone?" he asked, only half joking.

She shook her head. "No. Nothing like that."

His face and stance softened and he nodded. "Sorry doll. You gotta take the bad with the good."

"I know Clark. I just wish the bad didn't make me feel so damn horrible."

"Jess is in there," he nodded towards the closed bathroom from where she could hear a tap running, "good luck."

She could get away with being a coward and not facing Joe, but she wasn't getting away from facing her friend.

 _Joe would have been the easier option_ , she thought regretfully.

XXXXXXX

Hope you all had a good week and a great weekend ahead. Thank you to everyone that added me and the story to their alerts and of course for all the lovely reviews. I always appreciate the support.

Chat soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply**

 **Chapter 4**

Arlene POV

Arlene gently rapped her knuckles against the bathroom door, both anxious to talk to her best friend and dreading the colossal scolding she knew she was heading for.

"Yes?" came her friend's muffled voice from the other side of the door.

"It's me. Can I come in?"

There was a loud crash from behind the door followed by a hissed, "Shit!" and some shuffling before it opened a fraction, steam snaking from the crack.

She took this as permission to enter, so quickly stepped inside before shutting the door behind her. The warm steam hung in the air like a dense fog, making it nearly impossible to breath let alone make out the details of the bottles and jars scattered throughout the bathroom.

"Jeez Jessica, can we crack a window or something?" she complained, hating the sticky moisture attacking her hair.

"I'm trying! If this damn window doesn't budge soon I swear I'm going to break it!"

She had no doubt her friend would make good on her threat to the window's safety, so she sighed in relief when a high pitched screech preceded a gust of fresh air.

Jessica hopped down from the precariously thin bath rim she'd been balancing on in order to get to the small window situated beyond any normal person's reach. The blonde quickly spun around to face her, the friction between her bare feet and the moist tub making a squeaking noise that seemed almost comical in the moment.

"You could have been hurt," she stated the obvious just so it was said.

Clutching a fluffy white towel around her chest with one hand, while the other balanced the towel wrapped around her hair, Jessica climbed out of the tub with as much grace as she could manage. Which wasn't much. Luckily after a few years of sharing rooms and bathrooms, not only with each other but three men, they'd lost most of their shame and sentimentality about seeing each other naked.

Now comfortably out of the bath Jessica straighten out her towels before turning an expertly arched eyebrow onto her. She knew that look. It never ended well for her when she was on the receiving end of it.

"Why aren't you still in bed. Cuddling or what not with a handsome soldier?"

Trying to give her hands something to do and avoid direct eye contact she reached for a small, light green jar and twirled it around in her hands. "Because I'm here."

"And?"

She kept twirling the jar of cream in her hands until Jessica snapped it away from her. "You keep twirling it like that and you're going to make me sick. Now, what happened?"

She turned her back to the basin and leaned against it, finally looking at her friend. "We spent the night together." The words conjured up a highlight reel of memories which brought a grin to her face as a blush heated her cheeks.

Jessica smiled, a little smugly. "As glad as I am that you had a fabulous night, why aren't you having an even better morning? Please don't tell me the entire experience was disappointing."

"I'm not giving you details."

"Honey, I've seen you naked more times than I can count and I have an excellent imagination. I don't need details."

"Jessica!" she exclaimed, her face now on fire as she dropped her eyes to the ground.

She heard her friend lightly chuckle and looked up to shoot her a glare.

Jessica rolled her eyes as she took a step towards the basin, pushing her aside so she could look into the small bathroom mirror.

"Take a seat there," Jessica instructed, pointing to the closed lid of the toilet, "and tell me why you're here, looking like someone had stolen your puppy, instead of wrapped up in Joe's arms."

She did as she was told, and stared out of the small window at the passing early morning clouds. "Last night was – well it was perfect. He was everything I needed him to be and then some. And waking up wrapped up in his arms this morning was both magical and tragic."

As she'd been talking Jessica had tipped her head forward and rubbed her blonde hair between the white fluff. With her head still upside down Jessica glanced at her and asked, "Why does it have to be tragic?"

"Because, the few hours I had with him were perfection but it was never going to last. I'm not meant to be in his life."

Jessica flipped her head back as she straightened. She grabbed a men's shirt which had been neatly folded off to one side. Without having to undo any of the buttons she pulled it over head wet hair. "Why not? Lots of people do the whole sweethearts, writing each other letters thing."

"We're not most people and you know it. This is cleaner, simpler."

Jessica snorted and shot her a look as she pulled on pants that were clearly a few sizes too big for her. "Oh yeah, until you lock eyes across a bloody battlefield."

"That's not funny."

"I'm only half joking."

"We won't see each other again."

"Oh, so you know where Joe and we are going to be stationed? Because we're all heading for Europe, which means England. And we're more likely to be stationed with paratroopers than any other unit because we're all insane enough to jump out of perfectly good planes."

"There are thousands of paratroopers."

Sitting down on the floor so she could cuff the pants and put on her kitten heals from the previous evening, Jessica retorted, "True, but you know how these things go."

She dropped her face into her hands and groaned.

"I'm sorry," Jessica said, her voice sounding smaller all of a sudden, "I just wanted you to be happy. I shouldn't have pushed."

She lifted her head and found her friend sitting with her legs crossed on the floor, blue eyes looking intently up at her. "No, don't be sorry. It was amazing and I was happy. I guess that's the problem. Now I know what I can't have."

"You could still. I'm sure if you run you'd be able to catch him," Jessica replied hopefully.

She shook her head. "It's better this way. No mess or heartbreak. Just one amazing memory for both of us to hold onto. God knows where we're going to need it."

"The memories aren't the problem, the 'what-ifs' are. Those little bastards will break your heart all over again."

"Yeah, they're jerks," she retorted dryly.

They shared a moment of silence for all the things that could have been, but never would.

Her mind leapt to a future with Joe she'd never have. One where she'd meet him as he disembarked from the troop ship after a long campaign of love letters. She'd run to him, dodging embracing couples to launch herself into his strong arms. His deep laugh would dance with her girlish giggle as he spun them around and around until her head started to spin.

 _Fucking 'what-ifs'_ , she thought, angry at herself for indulging one for even a second.

"How did you tell him?" Jessica asked.

Her eyes focused on her friend's face as she felt herself frown. "Huh?"

"Please, please tell me you didn't just sneak out of that room without saying goodbye to him. I swear in the name of all things holy, if you did I will personally drag you to the docks so you can put the man out of his misery!"

She reached for a damp towel which was draped over the side of the tub and flung it in Jessica's general direction. "Oh calm down! I left him a letter."

Jessica caught it easily and dumped it unceremoniously on the ground in-font of her. "A letter?"

"It was beautiful, okay? Majestic even."

"Majestic? You've been spending far too much time with Clark. That's the type of nonsense he'd sprout after leaving some unsuspecting girl pining over him after one hour together in a dimly lit closet."

"I heard that!" Clark's muffled voice came from the other side of the door.

They both rolled their eyes, neither one surprised that he'd been listening in on their conversation the whole time.

"I heard that too!" he shouted.

"He knows us too well," she said as she got up.

Jessica held out a hand and she grabbed it, giving her friend a good tug to help her up. Eyeing her interesting ensemble of a men's clothing mixed with a pair of kitten heels and long, wet hair she remarked, "Nice outfit."

Jessica smirked and did a dramatic twirl. "I'm thinking about staying like this all day. Why change?"

She reached for the door as she chuckled at her friend's theatrics, but before she could open it Jessica placed a hand over hers. "Are you sure you're okay? There really is still time to catch him."

The thought crossed her mind for a split second before she brushed it away. "I'll be fine. I'll always have the memory to keep me warm."

"Okay. If you say so. We still have few hours before we need to report to the docks, so if you change your mind I can pull some strings."

She smiled, but shook her head.

Jessica lifted her hand, silently, begrudgingly, giving in to her wishes.

 _Yeah, 'coz you can cuddle with memories._

Bill POV

He leaned against the wall of the barracks, cigarette dangling between his lips, as he watched the men check and recheck their bags before the order came to ship out. His ran his eyes over the room, past Perconte throwing a pack of smokes at Luz's head with more force than necessary, and over Malark and Penk pouring over a contraband magazine one of the men had snuck in upon their arrival in New York, before they fell to the one empty bed.

"Fuck," he cursed under his breath.

"What?" Toye asked, briefly glancing up from his pack.

"Where the hell is he?" he growled, jerking his head in the direction of the empty bed.

Toye looked over his shoulder and when he came up empty he turned back to Bill. "You think he went AWOL?"

"Nah, the salty bastard loves a fight to much to miss this one." He took a drag of his cigarette and continued, "He left with that broad last night. Hopefully one of 'em remembered to set an alarm."

Toye scoffed. "Yeah, I'm sure that was the first thing on their minds. Setting an alarm."

He met his friend's remark with a blank stare which earned him a shrug before Toye turned back to whatever he'd been busy with.

A shadow temporarily blocked the morning light filtering in through the open door and his heart dropped. He'd been expecting one of the officers to fetch them so they could head to the ships for the better part of an hour, and finally the they were here.

He could already hear Sobel shouting at the top of his lungs when he realised they were a man short, revoking all their weekend passes for the next year as he took out his wrath on the men left behind.

 _I'm gonna fucking kill him,_ he thought, balling his fist tightly as he braced himself for the inevitable onslaught.

"Fuck Joe, how nice of you to join us!" Luz's shout dragged him out of his red haze.

The man's features had been obscured when he'd stood in the doorframe, but now that he'd stepped inside he could make him out in more detail.

Joe was wearing his dress greens from the previous night, and they were obviously wrinkled as he'd expected. Joe walked meekly past Luz, saying something to him which caused the shorter man to frown as he followed him with his eyes.

Luz caught him intently watching their exchange and shrugged as he shook his head.

He quickly got up from his bed and marched over the Joe's bed.

"You're late," he stated flatly.

"Yeah, well spotted genius. Your mother must be real proud?" Joe retorted without much sting to his words.

He understood why Luz had looked confused. Joe was always quick with a comment and he had a sharp tongue and quick temper. His response was practically meek in comparison to what they'd come to expect from him.

"Ummm…" he stammered, the wind momentarily knocked from his sails as he wavered between giving him a piece of his mind or calling Doc Roe to come and have a look at him.

The loud crash of boots on the wooden floor made the choice for him. Everyone turned to the aisle and snapped to attention, the hustle and bustle of the room now perfectly quiet.

Lieutenants Winters and Welsh marched up and down the aisle, eyes expertly assessing each one of them. As expected Winters stopped in-front of him and Joe, the redhead Lieutenant quirking his head to one side as if deciding whether he was seeing correctly or not.

"Liebgott, you're not ready. The orders were relayed to you as to when we're moving out?"

His eyes fixed to the wall just behind Winters Joe replied, "Yes, sir."

"Then why aren't you dressed?"

"No excuse, sir."

Winters nodded and his eyes darted to the perfectly made bed, which Joe had never slept in, and the packed bag on top of it.

"You have five minutes to change, pack and join your platoon outside."

"Yes, sir."

Winters briefly met his eyes as he turned towards the door, but whatever the officer was thinking was well hidden.

Reaching the door Welsh exited first just as Winters said, "Move out," before disappearing into the sun.

As if time had briefly stopped and now started up again everyone picked up where they'd left off. He wanted to talk to Joe, but the other man was hastily getting dressed, his head down and a dark shadow hanging over his eyes.

Biting his tongue, he decided to wait until they got onto the troop ship. Rumour had it they'd have nothing more to do than talk, gamble and sleep so he'd have enough time to find out what the hell had happened.

Jessica POV

 **Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean**

With one hand braced on her knee she used the back of the other to wipe the sweat from her brow.

The compact cabin she shared with Arlene was stuffy, both from the closed door and her body heat, with the small open window above her head providing only meagre relief.

She straightened out and stared longingly out of the window. There were clouds in the sky with a soft rain misting the air. She knew on deck it would be cold and fresh, far better weather for exercising than a small, stuffy cabin.

Heavy metal scraping across more metal told her someone had opened the door to their cabin, a blissful draft carrying away the warm air.

"Jeez, did you decide you needed a sauna?" Alex moaned as he stepped inside the room.

She slowly turned around to meet him with a scowl. "You're not trapped indoors the whole damn time. So don't even start."

Holding up his hands he replied, "Please don't kill me. I'm innocent I swear!"

She grunted an incoherent reply. Innocent was not a word she would use to describe him.

"I brought you some lunch, thought we could eat together," he said over his shoulder as he reached down for something on the floor near the door.

She grabbed a towel and dried herself off as much as possible, before slipping on a very worn and faded khaki jersey she'd stolen from one of the men years ago. As warm as it was, she didn't feel like dealing with any looks from passing officers if they saw her eating with Alex in the room wearing only her PT shorts and sweat soaked white PT shirt.

Sitting down on the hard metal floor she leaned her back against the side of the lower bunk bed. The majority of the floor space in the room she shared with Arlene was taken up by the metal bunk beds. Their trunks and bags were shoved against the opposite wall, leaving a small strip of space to stand, move and sit.

Alex sat down opposite her, Arlene's travel trunk providing him with back support, his long legs awkwardly crossed in-front of him. A metal tray containing two suspicious looking sandwiches and two canteens appeared between them.

"Don't get too excited. It's just water and tuna sandwiches."

She tried to arrange her face to match that of a disappointed child's. "Oh no, I thought it was bacon and good wine."

His green eyes sparkled as his lips drifted into a smile. "Do you honestly think if it was bacon and wine this is all I would bring?"

Reaching for her canteen she replied, "Fair point."

Taking a few big swigs, she savoured the cool water running down her throat, giving her stomach a chance to settle after the exercise.

She used the moment of silence to study her friend who was by now digging into his own sandwich. Alex always reminded her of the naughty blond boy that seemed to live on every street. He was tall, and if it hadn't been for years of training he'd be lanky. His hair was sandy blond and no matter what the military did, it always seemed to stand up in all directions. His green eyes were always darting around, making it seem as if he was constantly looking for an opportunity to cause havoc. He was always generous with his affection and smiled quickly. An attribute which made him both a wonderful friend and a dangerous flirt.

 _Who doesn't love the boy next door with a naughty streak and a million watt smile?_

She replaced the cap of her canteen and placed it between her crossed legs. As she reached for her own sandwich she asked, "How are things upstairs?"

The day they'd gotten onto the troop ship she knew the trip was going to be tricky at best and unpleasant at worst. The ship was transporting paratroopers to Europe and was filled past capacity. They'd been ordered to arrive an hour before the paratroopers were supposed to start loading. As soon as they'd boarded they were shown to their quarters below deck. Their unit was given two cabins next to each other, one for the men and one for her and Arlene, right at the back of the ship.

The captain had politely but firmly ordered her and Arlene to stay below decks from 05:00 to 22:00 and when they did go up top they had to try to hide their identity.

She understood, two women on a ship full of board soldiers wasn't going to end well, but that didn't make her cabin fever any less. Of course after a few days on board some of the other officers who were stationed close to them had realised there were two women aboard. If only by the way their friends would stand watch at the door of the bathroom when they had to use it. None of the officers approached them though, whether because of orders they'd received or death threats her friends had made she didn't know.

Alex washed down his bread with a drink of water from his own canteen before he answered her question. "The weathers turning a bit. It's cold and wet today. Although you wouldn't know if you go below decks. You think this is cramped? Shit, you should see where they have the enlisted men jammed in to."

She raised an eyebrow for him to continue.

"The ship wasn't made to carry this many people. So the officers and up got cabins, while the enlisted men stay in the hold. They put rows and rows of hammocks down there, running all the way up the walls. I promise, you're down there for one minute and you can't breathe or see because of the smoke and heat. Plus, it stinks."

"Sounds lovely," she mumbled through her mouth full of bread and something that maybe tasted like tuna.

"Where's Arlene? Aren't you two supposed to be on lock down until later?"

She swallowed and replied, "Next door with John and Clark playing cards. I needed to get rid of some of my energy before I lose my mind."

"You mean there's more left to lose?"

"Oh, ha-ha, you're real funny. But to answer your question, apparently there is."

He smiled a reply as he took another bite of his sandwich.

A comfortable silence fell between the two friends as they finished their meal.

"How do you think the newbies are going to be?" Alex asked once he'd finished his meal, stretching his long legs out in-front of him as much as he could in the tight space.

"Good hopefully. Green definitely. We had our pick and on paper they all seem like a perfect fit. It'll also be good to have the extra bodies on the team. Ten people instead of five will make a difference."

"Yeah, and we'll have time to train them up to our standards. Get them use to working with you and Arlene."

She smirked. "That's a whole different story! They all think they know what it'll be like to fight alongside women, but then the time comes and they're so damn sentimental about it."

"I remember that feeling. Shit, I was so scared to accidently hit you when we did close quarter combat drills."

"I remember, I got so incredibly frustrated with you. You were supposed to try and hit me, not avoid it. Luckily you got over it."

"Well, you did knock me out cold. After that I felt less bad about trying to hit you back."

She smiled to herself. "I remember that. Good times."

He shifted his weight around as he cleared his throat. She'd known him for long enough to recognise the signs of him building up to a more serious question, so she arched up one eyebrow and tilted her head a fraction to one side.

"So, how's Arlene doing?"

 _There it is_.

"You should ask her."

"I have. She just looks at you and says she's fine. Whenever anybody uses the word fine, it never means fine."

"And what makes you think I'll know any more than you do?"

He shot her a blank stare but she held her ground.

With a huff of air, he finally said, "For one thing it's the two of you. You'll tell each other things like this. Also, you're pretty relentless when you want to be, I've seen you crack tougher nuts than Arlene." He paused and waited for her to say something, but when she didn't he added, "I'm not trying to get some gossip. I just want to make sure she's okay. You two don't get mixed up with someone often, so it has to be something special when you do."

She sighed and reached underneath the nearest pillow, pulling out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. Holding out the pack to Alex, he followed the familiar routine of taking two cigarettes and the lighter. As she tucked the pack back safely underneath the pillow he lit both cigarettes, giving hers a quick puff to make sure it took before handing it to her.

"I still remember the days I swore I'd never smoke," she said before taking a long drag.

Alex exhaled his smoke. "So, what happened?"

"War."

"Seems like a good enough reason to me."

She placed the ash tray they'd stolen from the hotel on the tray between them. Taking another drag, she took her time deciding how much to share with Alex, and by extension John and Clark.

She leant forward and with a flick of her wrist ash fell into the tray. "As impossible as it sounds I think she fell in love with him. Not that she'd ever say it out loud."

Alex didn't interrupt her, he just continuously added to the wisp of smoke hanging between them.

Leaning back against the bed she continued, "She thinks leaving him with a letter was the best for both of them. Neither one will have to worry about the other, they can both just focus on the fight. Of course she's going to worry about him in any case, and I'm pretty sure Joe knows she's going to be around fighting, so he'll worry as well. Honestly, I think she's worried it was going to end badly in the end, so she cut it off before it could get started."

Alex ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes as he took a final drag of his cigarette. Pressing the stump into the ash tray he said, "Maybe it won't end badly. They could both survive."

She handed him what was left of her cigarette, she rarely managed to finish one and the men were always happy to help her. "It's not just that. She was probably worried that if he found out how involved we really are in the fight he'd back off. We're not exactly what most men sign up for when they ask a woman to dance."

"Any guy that backs off because of your job is an idiot."

"Agreed, but idiots can still break your heart, and hers has been broken into pieces before."

"So I take it she doesn't secretly hope to run into him again?"

"I suspect she has mixed feelings on that front. Honestly the chances are slim, but could still happen. We're probably going to be based with or close to the paratroopers."

"Yeah, about that."

"What do you know?"

Rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand he elaborated. "Once we were out at sea we started asking around. You know, see who was on the ship with us. Turns out, Joe's Company is here."

Her mouth fell open and she just stared at him for a good few heartbeats.

"Hello?" Alex said, waving his hand in-front of her face.

Snapping out of her shock she threw her head back. "Well this is just fucking perfect now isn't it? Probably a good thing we're trapped down here all goddamn day."

"Yeah, if her plan is to never see him again."

She lifted her head back to look at her friend. "You just watch. We're going to be stationed in the same small English town. No avoiding him there."

"Should we tell her?"

"I'll tell her tonight when we're alone. She's going to finish all my smokes before we even hit English waters."

"Thanks for the warning. I'll be sure to hide mine and leave Clark's out in the open."

"You're evil."

He shrugged. "Maybe, but you still love me."

"Unfortunately."

He shot her a lopsided smile which she answered with a playful wink.

Nixon POV

The officers' mess was practically empty at 15:00.

 _That sweet spot between lunch and dinner when everyone seemed to vanish and you could hear yourself think_.

He was sitting at the table, sharing a pack of smokes with Harry while Dick watched them with a look of disapproval etched all over his features.

"When you look at me like that you remind me of my mother. All disappointment and disapproval."

"Well then it should make you feel like you're home. I'll remember to keep doing it," Dick retorted.

Harry shook his head at their back and forth. He was probably still trying to figure out how the two of them had become such close friends. On paper they were exact opposites. The one barely adhering to the rules while the other was as straight-laced as it got.

"Before you two start again," Harry interjected, "you heard about the women on board?"

Nixon gave him a knowing look. "I'm the Intelligence officer. Of course I know."

"So what can you tell us?"

"It's top secret."

Dick rolled his eyes. "No it isn't."

He shot a glare Dick's way before taking a swig from his canteen, the bitter liquor burning his throat. "Fine, it's not top secret. But no one seems to know the full story."

"What have you heard?" Harry asked nonchalantly, doing his best to hide his curiosity.

He leaned forward onto his elbows as if he was sharing a state secret with the other two men. Harry followed his lead but Dick just looked his way, eyebrow raised.

 _Spoil sport_ , he thought, but he knew his friend well enough to see he was interested, he just hid it far better than Harry did.

"Two women are traveling with a group of elite soldiers. I haven't seen any of them, but from what I've heard they sound a lot like those men we saw at the club in New York."

At the mention of the club Dick's body tensed. He leaned in closer to the conversation, no longer trying to play it cool.

He smirked, he'd though that bit of information would really peak his interest. Since leaving New York his friend had seemed distracted at times, and he would be damned if it wasn't because of the woman in the red dress they'd met.

Happy that he now had a captivated audience he continued, "Some of the men say they're wives or girlfriends of the bigwigs traveling with a guard, but I don't see that. I know there are a small handful of units that have women, and there is a rumour that an elite unit has one or two. So I'd put my money on them being soldiers."

Harry let out a long whistle and reached for the open canteen perched on the table between them. "You think they'd be able to keep up with them men?" he asked, the canteen hovering in-front of his lips.

He shrugged, unable to see a scenario where a woman would be able to keep up with the men in physical combat.

"What do you think?" Harry asked Dick.

His best friend paused, momentarily staring off into the distance. When his eyes focused back on the two of them he replied, "We haven't heard anything official, so there's no point in speculating. We'll find out at some stage."

"What do you mean 'anything official'? I'd settle for anything unofficial at this stage," Harry snorted.

"Don't look at me. He's the Intelligence Officer," Dick said, looking over to him.

"When I know, you'll know. Now give me my flask back. I'm gonna start charging."

Harry smiled as he handed him back his canteen which felt suspiciously lighter.

Joe POV

Anybody that wasn't an officer had been given a makeshift bunk in the hold of the large ship. Rows and rows of hammocks stacked high up the metal hull. The air was heavy with smoke and body heat and every hour or so a fight inevitably broke out. He'd actually been in one earlier that day. Guarnere had called Sobel a Jew, and he took offence because he's a Jew.

 _Fucking Sobel and Guarnere with his big yap,_ he thought, tentatively touching his nose and flinching _._ At least they'd both landed a few punches.

Laying on his back in his bunk he reached inside his jacket and took out the neatly folded piece of paper, already worn from being read and reread more than a dozen times. As he played with Arlene's letter, rolling it between his fingers, he had to admit half of the reason he'd picked the fight was because he couldn't fight with her, or for her.

"Hey Joe," Luz called up from his bunk one down and across from his.

"Yeah," he replied, quickly putting the letter away safely.

"What ever happened with you and that brunette? The good looking one from New York."

He turned his head, wondering what he should say. Luz was the first one to really outright ask him about Arlene. Some of the other men had hinted at it, but no one had really asked.

He didn't want to talk about her, but at the same time she was all he could think about.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You know what I mean. 'C'mon, where stuck on this rust bucket, give me some kind of a distraction. I'd do the same for you."

He gritted his teeth. Arlene should only ever be his distraction.

"Yeah Joe, tell us all a story," Malarkey chimed in.

He bit down the anger welling up in his chest. "Luz, you just wanna hear my story 'coz you don't have any of your own," he retorted, hoping to buy himself some time.

The men close by laughed and a few good natured comments were exchanged followed by some violent cursing.

He smirked and waited, knowing Luz wouldn't give up.

"I'm still here Joe," the other soldier said as if on cue.

He sighed, he had to say something. The longer he avoided them the more persistent the men would get and he didn't trust himself to keep his temper in check. "The night was fine," he lied, it had all been perfect.

"Fine huh? Could have fooled me. Sulking about," he heard Bill mumble but chose to ignore him.

"You gonna see her again?" Malarkey asked. He always thought the Irishman was a bit of a romantic at heart.

"Yes, she's going to England. I'll find her," he replied, the truth of the words and his own conviction catching him off guard.

He was angry and his pride was bruised, but he couldn't get her off of his mind so he knew, come hell or high water he had to see her again.

"England's a big place. You really think you're gonna find one broad?" Luz asked.

He nodded to himself. "Yeah, I do."

 _I have to._

Jessica POV

She stood on the dark deck, her legs and torso pressed against the metal railing as both hands curled around it, eyes closed as the cold sea spray dusted her face. She swore she could almost smell England they were so close, it wouldn't be more than day or two now until they dropped anchor.

The last few days the sea had been choppy at best, making it nearly impossible for anyone to venture above deck unless they were willing to risk going overboard. Today however, the weather had turned, resulting in blue skies with a cool ocean breeze. By the time darkness had fallen the wind had picked up and the temperature had dropped by a few degrees. She didn't mind, she knew that meant the deck would be pretty much empty which suited her just fine.

She and Arlene had spent the day lying on their bunks, faces turned to the small open window, talking aimlessly, reading and napping. As soon as their curfew had passed she'd stuffed her long hair into a cap and grabbed her army issue jacket which was a size too big for her. She'd begged Arlene to come with her, but the brunette was terrified of running into Joe so had refused.

 _Not that she would, he's not supposed to be above deck this late at night. Officers and women only._

She opened her eyes with a sigh. She knew Arlene would be happier with Joe in her life. More stressed but definitely happier. At the moment she was doing her best to act as if nothing ever happened, but no one missed her shorter temper and bouts of contemplative silence.

 _Stubborn woman. Almost looking forward to getting back into the fight just so she can stop pretending to be okay because she'll be too busy trying not to get killed._

Pushing her concerns for her friend aside she found the corners of her lips curl up when the moon peaked out from behind the bank of clouds which had hidden it and then her smile widened when the memory of her last night in New York flashed before her eyes.

Every now and again she would think of Richard, more often than she would admit even to herself. The way his muscles felt under her touch, the weight of his hands on her shoulders or his distinct scent of army issue soap, woody aftershave and something uniquely warm and masculine.

She'd already done the math. If Joe was on-board there was a damn good chance so was Richard, but unlike Arlene she hoped to run into him. She knew it was foolish because nothing would probably come of it, but she still wanted one more chance to be near him none the less.

 _What the hell Jessica! Move on already. This pining thing is so not your style._

From the corner of her eye she saw a soldier approach the railing two feet to her right. He didn't look her way, but even if he did she had her cap pulled down and collar popped to hide her face as much as possible. In the dark he wouldn't know she was a woman from where he was standing.

He stopped at the railing and removed his cap, running his hand through his red hair a few times. The colour was like a shock to her system, making her do a double take as her heart sped up.

 _Well fuck. Be careful what you wish for._

Turning her face back to the sea she took a deep breath and shook out her shoulders. Taking a few moments to regain her composure she moved silently down the railing.

Richard didn't look her way as she approached. He was staring intently off into the distance, his mouth set into a determined line and she noticed his hands were shoved deep inside his pockets.

For a second she worried that approaching him like this wasn't the right thing to do. He'd obviously come out here for some peace and quiet and it seemed he had a lot weighing on his mind.

 _No, it's now or never. Buck up._

She kept moving until she was right beside him, their arms only an inch apart. She looked up at him, he was taller than she remembered, but then again she'd been wearing heels when they'd met. He still hadn't registered her presence so she decided a more direct approach was best.

"Well, fancy meeting you here soldier," she said.

He blinked as if coming out of a daze and slowly moved his head to face her. When his eyes landed on her he tilted his head slightly to one side and his mouth hung slightly open.

She smiled up at him. "No, you're not going crazy. Yet."

His face transformed to mirror her smile. "Jessica. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just going for my annual holiday cruise. Such an inconvenience that all these soldiers decided to tag along this time."

"Yeah, we keep hogging all the pool chairs, not to mention the space at the bar."

"How rude."

"I'll talk to the men. See what I can do."

"Well I'd appreciate that. Days on board and I still don't have a tan."

He let out a short laugh as he stared at her through his long lashes, the ocean spray making them stand out black against his blue eyes.

 _Well that look's dangerous,_ she thought.

Hoping to steer the subject to something more formal she said, "I heard the Airborne being deployed to Europe. Makes sense, a bit tricky to jump into a forest of palm trees."

His face became a fraction more serious as he looked back out over the water. "We'll spend some time in England first. Could be a while before we deploy."

She looked from him to the water, allowing her eyes to settle on the dark horizon. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

"If I'm going to fight, I'd prefer to have it over and done with."

"Understandable. Waiting for the unknown is almost the worst part."

She felt his eyes on her, but kept hers fixed to the horizon. "So, what are you doing here?" he asked again.

"Same as you, going to England and then onto Europe. Aldbourne to be exact. Seems we'll be stationed in the same town."

He kept staring at her for a few heartbeats and she used all her self-restraint not to look over to him. This was not the place to do the things she'd imagined since meeting him.

"There's a rumour going around of a special military unit traveling on-board with two women. And that they're part of the unit, or a general's mistresses," he said, finally tearing his eyes away from her face.

"I highly doubt any general could handle two mistresses at the same time, and no sane man would have two of his mistresses travel together unless he wanted a blood bath."

"So it's the former option then," he stated and she knew he had her backed into a corner.

"Yes there are two women on-board, hopefully it's obvious I'm one of them," she replied, deciding to be as honest as she could.

"You're safe on that front," he remarked.

She looked over to him and he turned his face towards her.

"That night at the club, you remember Clark?" she asked.

He nodded and waited for her to continue.

"I told you we worked together and that's the truth. Currently there are five of us, but we should be ten. We're meeting the replacements in England."

He pursed his lips and nodded as he absorbed the information. "Can I ask what you do exactly?"

She glanced out to the ocean as she pulled her jacket collar up higher, the wind was getting colder and the spray was starting to bite into her skin. Turning back to him she answered, "You can ask, but I can't give you any more details as things stand. I work for the military and spend a lot of time near the front. That's the best I can do."

He seemed to bite back whatever follow up question he had for the time being. A few seconds of silence passed between them, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. She didn't think she could be uncomfortable around him.

"Can I see you again?" Richard asked.

She felt the smile slide across her face. "I suspect we'll be running into each other more often than you think. And I'll be looking forward to every moment."

He dropped his head, the most adorable school boy smile lighting up his face.

"Lieutenant Winters, Captain Sobel needs to speak to you, sir," a man shouted from the top of the stairs which led to the officers' quarters below deck.

Richards' head shot up, his face going from a smile to a frown in a split second flat. "I need to go. I'll see you around, or in England," he said, sounding annoyed and hopeful at the same time.

"Go, don't keep your Captain waiting."

He hesitated for a moment before greeting her with a nod and stalking after the soldier that had called him away.

She watched him leave and thought of all the things she should have said.

 _Whoever Sobel is, I'm not a fan. What an asshole_.

She stayed out on the deck for a few more minutes, no longer staring at the ocean but waiting to make sure she could slip back to her room unnoticed while trying to keep warm and dry and failing at both.

Finally satisfied that the coast was clear she headed for the stairs leading below decks. Over the past few days she and Arlene had found the quickest and quietest route from the deck to their room and by this stage of the journey she was able to navigate it blindfolded.

Quickly taking the last corner she ran straight into a solid mass, nearly sending her flying backwards, but luckily her reflexes kicked in and her hands shot out, searching for something to steady herself.

What they found was one muscular upper arm and one calloused hand. She jerked her head up to find two dark pools set into defined features staring down at her, a scowl which seemed permanent doing nothing to detract from the man's good looks.

"You should watch where you're going trooper," he said, letting go of her and straightening out.

"So should you," she shot back.

His expression changed from deeply annoyed to confused in a fraction of a second.

 _Shit, I need to work on my man voice. Oh well, at least he's an officer._

She dropped her collar, the air was stuffy and warm below deck and she could already feel herself start to sweat underneath all the layers.

The man relaxed and a smirk pulled at the right corner of his full lips as he stared her down.

Well, she wasn't one to back off from a fight, be it the staring kind, so she placed her hands on her hips and waited him out.

"So the rumours are true. There is a woman on board," he said, still holding her gaze.

"Well, either that or I'm a fabulous figment of your imagination."

"You felt pretty real when we collided."

She shrugged. "Either that or you have one hell of an imagination. Which one is it Lieutenant?"

He took out a packet of smokes and a lighter from his jacket's breast pocket and placed one cigarette between his lips. Lighting it he gave two quick puffs to make sure it took as he put the pack and lighter back. "Call me Speirs," he said, cigarette confidently dangling between his lips.

"Just Speirs?"

"Ronald Speirs. And you?"

She casually reached over and pulled the cigarette from between his lips, taking a long slow drag. "What do you usually call the figments of your imagination?"

He looked shocked for a moment, clearly a man unused to being challenged, but he recovered quickly, his face settling into a well-rehearsed blank mask. He didn't say anything, just stared her down as he waited for her to cave in first.

 _Oh darling, you have no clue who you're dealing with._

She moved forward, closing the space between them. His mask faltered again for a moment and he took a step to the side like she'd suspected he would. She squeezed past him in the narrow hallway, never breaking eye contact.

Just as she passed him she glanced back over her shoulder, satisfied to find him still looking after her. "Thanks for the smoke, Lieutenant."

She continued to her room, a self-satisfied smirk on her face. She'd been able to spend time with Richard, had a fun encounter with some random Lieutenant she was sure she'd never see again and scored a free smoke. Above all else though, she now had two stories to tell Arlene to help take her mind off of Joe.

 _I should go for walkabouts more often._

XXXXXXX

 _Hello everyone! Hope you all had a fantastic week and that the weekend is off to a cracking start. I have such lovely reviewers and I want to thank each and every one for their reviews. Also, to everyone that takes time out of their busy lives to read my story, thank you so very much._

 _See you all soon._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: all the usual apply**

 **Chapter 5**

Naval Yard, England

Arlene POV

"How long still?" she asked Jessica over her shoulder as she studied her reflection in the narrow, full length mirror.

"Should be any moment now. We've been docked for over an hour. They just need all the soldiers to disembark before we can."

She nervously ran her palms over her skirt, trying to smooth out creases that weren't there. On the one hand she couldn't wait to get off of the ship, but on the other she wanted to stay here until all the men were long gone. Well, really only one man.

She'd been able to avoid Joe easily. She wasn't supposed to be above deck during the day and most of the men had to be below deck late at night. When she did venture out, or when Jessica dragged her out, she was anxious at the thought of seeing Joe, constantly looking over her shoulder just in case. Ironically enough though, when they got back to their cabin she was disappointed that she hadn't seen him.

 _Stupid. That's what you get for acting without thinking_ , she berated herself for the hundredth time.

As if reading her mind Jessica remarked, "Even if he's still out there when we disembark you probably won't see him. There are hundreds of them milling about. Now Aldbourne, well that's a different story."

She pulled a face at her friend in the mirror only to be rewarded with a naughty smile.

"Now are you done faffing so I can use the mirror? For a woman that doesn't want to see a man, you sure are taking your sweet time getting ready."

She gave herself one last look in the mirror and nodded approvingly. Often she and Jessica wore civilian clothing when they weren't working, it was just easier that way, fewer questions. On the ship they wore basic Army issue clothing in order to blend in us much as possible, but now that they had arrived in England it was time to make a statement.

They'd donned their dress uniform of a pencil skirt and jacket that were such a dark blue it looked black in the dim lighting of the cabin. The skirt stopped just below the knee and the jacket snugly closed at the waist with three gold buttons. The uniform was completed with a crisp white shirt, a pair of silk stockings she'd kept hidden for months, kitten heels and their dark blue caps. She put her hair up into a neat knot and completed the look with a flick of mascara, some blush and a crimson lip.

"Yes, fine. I'm done," she finally said, giving herself one more cursory glance as Jessica moved to take her place.

She took a seat on the edge of her bed and watched as her friend turned around so she could look at herself from different angles. Their uniforms and styling were identical, but it always surprised her how different they still managed to look. She was a good inch or two taller than Jessica with a long, slender frame that wouldn't look out of place in a ballet recital. Her friend on the other hand was of an average height for a woman, but her bone structure made her look more petite than she actually was and she had the most wonderful curves in all the right places.

"I which I had your legs," Jessica would often say and she'd reply with, "I wish I had your breasts."

There was one sharp rap on their door and John shouted, "Be ready in 2 mins," from the other side of the metal.

She took a deep breath hoping to settle the nerves that had flared up again.

"You'll be fine," Jessica said.

She looked up to find her friend watching her closely, arms folded over her chest and head tilted a fraction to one side.

"I know it's silly. I only knew Joe one night, but I swear he crawled underneath my skin and now he's refusing to budge."

Her friend's face softened. "I'm sorry for pushing you to spend time with him. If I'd known he was going to affect you this much I would have left well enough alone."

She scoffed "How the hell could you have known? I'm usually the Ice Queen's cold hearted step sister."

Jessica rolled her eyes. "That seems a bit harsh."

"Not if you ask my ex-boyfriend."

"That ass! The only thing I'd ask him is where's the nearest cliff so I can push him off it."

She shook her head and smiled, only 50% certain Jessica was joking about the last part.

The door screeched open and Alex's head popped around the corner. "Ready?"

"Ready," she replied.

"A porter will take your bags," he added.

She looked to Jessica who shrugged. "Fancy."

She followed Jessica out the door and followed the men down the long corridor and up and out into the sun.

Joe POV

Sitting on top of his pack and smoking a cigarette he half listened to the conversations going on around him. They'd disembarked an hour ago already but were still waiting on their transport to take them to their final destination.

 _Hurry up and wait should be our fucking motto._

He'd been in a dark mood since leaving New York, picking fights with the other men every chance he got. Most of them ignored it, he had a short fuse and they knew it, but Bill kept giving him sideways glances. This in turn pissed him off even more because it reminded him of his last 24-hours on US soil.

"So, did any of you actually see them?" Luz repeated the same question he'd asked every day since they'd set of.

"It was just some bullshit story a drunk sailor made up Luz. You lost the bet, so pay up," he responded through the cigarette dangling between his lips.

Their second day at sea was the first time they'd heard the rumour that two women were on-board and from there it quickly changed to twenty girls put on-board to make sure no one died a virgin. No one knew the truth, or if they did they weren't telling.

Frankly he didn't give a damn if it was true, he couldn't look at a woman right now without having the urge to drink and break something.

 _Get a grip. She was only one broad. Stop being such a goddamn sissy._

"Hey, where there's smoke there's fire," Malarkey came to Luz's defence.

"Whatever Private Bullshit, pay up," Bill sneered, holding out his hand for his winnings.

Of course they'd taken bets, and now the winning side was collecting.

The losers begrudgingly started reaching inside their pockets when a murmur ran through the gathered soldiers like a wave.

"What the fuck now?" he grumbled but still stood to see what all the fuss was about.

"Ha! Pay up boys!" Luz exclaimed.

There, walking down the gangplank were five officers and two were distinctly female. He recognised the one woman without even having to think about it, he'd seen that walk every night in his dream, or nightmares, depending on how you looked at it.

Her head moved in his direction and he felt her eyes run over the crowd before her gaze settled on him. His heart had stopped beating when he'd spotted her, and as her eyes held his, his heart started beating again, working overtime to make up for the seconds lost since he'd spotted her.

"Fuck," he swore, throwing his half smoked cigarette to the ground and stomping it out with more force than necessary before turning his back to her.

He'd spent the entire trip telling himself she meant nothing and now he was back to square one.

Nixon POV

He was leaning against the side of a jeep as they waited for the order to move out. He hated waiting, for an Intelligence Officer patience really wasn't his strong suit.

"I still can't believe you didn't see her again," he casually remarked to the man standing next to him.

"I blame Sobel. I swear he knew I had a reason to be out of my cabin and decided to give me all his paperwork to do out of spite."

"Fucking Sobel," Harry chipped in his two cents from his other side.

"Besides Nix, you're the Intelligence Officer and you couldn't find her," Dick added.

"Not for a lack of trying. Whoever knew where she was wasn't talking. I couldn't even find the people she was travelling with. I swear it would be easier to find a virgin in a brothel."

Dick shot him a disapproving look. His friend never was a fan of colourful language.

"You'll see her in Aldbourne. So there's that at least. Sobel can't keep you busy all the damn time," Harry said.

"Don't say that out loud. He doesn't need any more ideas," Dick mumbled, his head turning up to soak up the little bit of sun peeking through the clouds.

"Sobel ain't your problem Dick," he said, "you are."

"Really?"

"You had a woman alone on freezing deck and did nothing but talk. Jeez, the least you could have done was be a gentleman and kept her warm."

From the corner of his eye he saw Dick shake his head.

"I give you one month. If you haven't made your move by then I'm making mine. We can't let her get away," he added.

"Try," Dick retorted but it sounded awfully close to a threat.

A murmur went up in the crowd and he felt everyone turn their attention to the ship.

"Holy hell," Harry said as he was turning to see what had caught everyone's attention.

There, strolling down the gangplank were five soldiers, two of them women and one was without a doubt the blonde that had Dick in knots.

Both women looked immaculate in their uniforms, somewhere between sexy and intimidating. Who was he kidding, they were sexy because they were so damn intimidating.

A lone ray of sunlight flashed off of two distinctive bars pinned to Jessica's jacket collar. "Shit, she's a Captain," he blurted out.

"Highly decorated one," Dick added, noting the array of commendations pinned to her uniform.

He glanced at his friend, his mouth hanging slightly open as his eyes remained trained on the blonde officer walking down the plank.

Placing a hand firmly on Dick's shoulder he said, "You sure know how to pick 'em."

Jessica POV

She slipped into the back seat of one of the cars that were waiting for them at the bottom of the gangplank.

"I cannot believe they sent cars to pick us up. We could have driven in the standard jeeps," she complained, irrationally irritated at the special treatment.

"Oh, don't get your knickers in a twist doll. Before you know it you'll be belly crawling through some Kraut infested field with a rifle strapped to your back just like everyone else," John retorted next to her.

"Johnny, you shouldn't talk about things you'll never get close to," she snapped back.

"I've seen your knickers."

"You've seen my bare ass but that still doesn't mean you're getting close to either one."

An awkward cough from the front seat reminded them they weren't alone and she shot John a withering glare. He wiggled his eyebrows at her, a quirk he used on her when she was annoyed because he knew it would earn him a smile.

As her lips moved up involuntarily she cursed him and herself.

He smiled smugly.

She turned away from him to look out the window. They'd passed the final waiting soldiers and were quickly putting the belly of the naval yard behind them.

She'd hoped to spend some more time with Richard before their arrival in England, but it seemed the man had vanished off of the face of the earth. A part of her brain kept asking if he was avoiding her and no matter how much she dismissed the thought she couldn't keep the insecurity at bay.

There was a gentle tug on her sleeve and she turned to find John staring intently at her.

"What?"

"I know I'm not the most sensitive of men, but what's really eating at you? I've seen you wear ball gowns to pubs and not flinch."

"They were not ball gowns."

He just stared at her with those annoying puppy dog eyes that made you drop you guard every damn time.

"You know I saw Richard on the boat."

He nodded.

"Well, I'd said I'd see him around and like an idiot I went to the deck every night. He never showed. It's absurd I know, but I can't help wondering if he avoided me on purpose."

She'd almost mumbled the last part, her inner self shouting at her to stop sounding like some love struck teenager and pull herself together.

John stared at her for a while and she could see him deciding what to say. "For all your talk about Arlene having to get out there more, you're even worse than she is."

She started to respond but he ignored her and simply ploughed on, "No Jess, you'll flirt and dance and maybe even give the lucky bastard a kiss at the end of the night, but if I asked you now, what any of their names were, you wouldn't know. Because you don't want to know."

"Gee thanks Johnny. I sure do sound like the girl you wanna take home to meet the folks," she remarked.

He reached over and took one of her hands in his. "I've told you a hundred times I'd love for you to meet my folks, but that's a different conversation."

Her eyes dropped from his as shy smile crossed her lips.

"Listen, I get it. You've been doing this for so long, longer than most, you've had to find a way to protect yourself. Just promise me you'll remember this guy's name."

She met her friend's eyes. "Fine, promise."

He rewarded her with a lopsided grin. "Good, we'll need all the information we have on him if we need to hunt him down and kick his ass if he hurts you in any way."

She bent forward, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "You're a good friend."

"I know," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Cocky bastard" she said, squeezing his hand and sitting back in the seat as the English countryside slipped past outside.

Arlene POV

Driving through the English countryside she tried, and failed, to wipe Joe's dark expression from her memory. She'd glimpsed him as they'd left the ship, her eyes drawn to him even as he stood amongst a sea of American soldiers.

She could still feel the flutter of her heart followed by the sharp pain when he'd turned from her, his eyes hooded and dark.

"You want to talk about it?" Alex ventured tentatively.

Alex was sitting next to her and Clark turned in his seat in the front to look at her.

"About what?" she asked.

"About you not saying a word since we got into the car."

"So?"

Alex sighed loudly and looked to Clark, who in turn said, "We're nearly at Aldbourne. You've been quiet for hours. Now, I know you don't talk as much as Jess, but clearly something is going on with you."

She looked between the two men, trying to decide what to do. On the one hand she wanted to unburden to them, but on the other the whole situation sounded ridiculous in her head, she didn't even want to dare say it out loud.

"It's nothing. I made my bed, and rolled around in it, now I have to sleep in it. Don't worry, I'll be able to work."

"Christ Arlene, you think we're worried about your ability to do your job? We're worried because your sitting there like someone killed your puppy." Alex exclaimed, he always was less tactful than Clark and John.

She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind when Clark stopped her. "What he's trying to say," he started, shooting Alex a disapproving glance, "is we just want to make sure you're okay."

She relaxed her shoulders. They both meant well, although the execution needed some work. "I'll be fine. I was just caught off guard today, but that won't happen again. And before you ask, no, you don't need to go kick someone's ass. This is my fault. I'm the one in the wrong, I suppose."

Clark eyed her for a moment before he gave up and turned back to face the front. Alex nudged her arm gently. "Sorry."

She nudged him back and replied, "That's okay," before turning to the look out the window just in time to see the first quaint houses of Albourne slide into view.

Clark POV

As soon as their car came to a stop outside the barracks he thanked the driver before climbing out. He was anxious to finally meet the new recruits in person; all they knew was what had been in their files.

Their unit was a close knit little family, being whittled down from the eight original members to four over the last few years of fighting had only intensified the bond, so they needed to be sure the newcomers would fit in. He wasn't 100% sure John hadn't been a fluke. He'd accidently been assigned to them after their first year at war, a clerical error which turned out to be a miracle since one week later they lost another team member.

If he was being honest his major concern was how they would interact with Arlene and Jessica. All the applicants had known there were women in the unit, but he knew from personal experience it was one thing to read it and another to see it.

He still cringed when he thought back to his first few days training with them. The things he'd said and assumed, he'd never stop being mortally embarrassed by.

He quickly did the math in his head. _Shit, has it been 5 years already? No wonder I'm so goddamn tired of this fucking war._

A light touch on his upper arm drew him back to reality. Glancing to his right he found Jessica standing next to him, her crystal blue eyes intently focused on the hut their new recruits were waiting in.

"You ready for the show?" she asked without looking away from the building.

"Let's go see what we have to work with," he replied, staring for the building.

She fell into step next to him and the others followed, it was time to meet the people who would soon hold their lives in their hands.

As he neared the door he could hear muffled voices coming from within, excitedly talking over one another.

He took the two small stairs leading into the barracks in one big stride, throwing the door open with such force that it slammed against the wall. There were a few seconds of mad scrambling as the five soldiers got to the front of their bunks and stood at attention.

He waited at the door until you could hear a penny drop and then slowly strode into the building, walking along the line of soldiers, eyeing each one critically.

He could hear the others entering the building but his eyes remained focused on the new recruits and none of them dared glance in the direction of the door. Reaching the end of the beds he turned back to the door but held his position, drawing out the moment a few heartbeats longer.

"At ease," he said and he could hear the collective breath of the waiting men.

"My name is Captain Clark. I'm the commanding officer of this unit. That," he continued, pointing to Jessica, "is Captain King. She's the second in command. Those other officers are Lieutenants Walker, Marsh and Green."

He gave the recruits a few seconds to scan the faces of their new officers before continuing. "Once we've determined whether or not you'll be staying with us, you'll each be paired with an officer on a rotational basis."

He was happy to see they all kept their expressions neutral, not one daring to steal a glance at the two women.

Without having to signal to Jessica she moved forward, the click of her heels on the wooden floorboards marking her pace. All eyes turned to her as she commanded the full attention of everyone in the room.

"We are the best gentlemen, and that means we only work with the best. Congratulations on making it this far, but your assessment isn't over yet," she said, coming to stand next to him, her hands clasped behind her back. "If you are found wanting, you will be out."

He saw the two men closest to him swallow.

 _Good_ , he thought.

He walked back to the front, this time looking ahead to his team, not saying a word.

From behind him he heard Jessica say, "Over the next 72 hours you will be pushed like you've never been pushed before. We will assess every aspect of your performance. For the first 12 hours you'll be supervised by one of the officers as they put you through your paces. At 06:00 hours you'll have thirty minutes to eat and change before we'll all be joining you for training," she paused and no one moved. "Then the real fun begins."

She walked across the room, reaching the door in a few quick strides since this building was smaller than most, designed to only house ten men at the most. Pausing in the door, the late afternoon sun silhouetting her figure, she said, "You have 5 minutes to change into your OD's with a full pack and meet Lieutenant Green outside."

The soldiers snapped to attention and saluted the officers. In perfect unison they all returned the salute before turning sharply and exiting the building.

He could hear the mad dash going on behind them as they gathered near the door.

"Right, John. You ready for the first shift?" he asked their youngest lieutenant.

He smiled. "Should be fun. I'll warm them up for the rest of you."

They all smiled.

"You all remember the rest?" he asked the group.

"We each take a two-hour shift. The running order is John, Arlene, Alex, you and then me. Once we've all had a turn we start again," Jessica answered for the group.

He nodded. "Good, be here ten minutes before your shift starts to hand over. Headquarters sent us that jeep," he said, pointing to a jeep standing close by, "you can use it today. From tomorrow morning we'll be training with them."

"What do you wanna bet they can't wait for Arlene and Jessica's shifts?" John asked.

Alex smirked. "They probably think they'll go easy on them. Biggest mistake of their lives."

Both women laughed, a devilish giggle that sent chills running up his spine.

 _God help those boys._

Jessica POV

She double checked the details a clerk had hastily scribbled down for her on a piece of scrap paper to the house she was standing in-front of.

 _Looks like a home_ , she mused.

It was a small, dark brown face brick two storey building with a dark green front door. There were two large upstairs windows standing guard over the narrow walkway and rose bushes that led from the road to the door.

Satisfied this was indeed the place she'd be billeted in for the duration of their stay in Aldbourne she crumpled up the piece paper, shoving it into a pocket and walked to the door.

Since they were all officers they'd all been billeted with local families. Clark and Arlene were sharing a house one block from where she was staying while Alex and John were living with two separate families quite close to the barracks.

She'd been informed she'd be staying with a family who were also housing an officer from the Airborne. It suited her well enough, they would be training with some of the Airborne Companies so the sooner she got to know the men the better. Her only concern was whether or not the family had been informed their second house guest was a woman.

Stopping at the door she braced herself for the potentially awkward encounter before knocking on it with two quick raps. There was a moment's silence followed by quick footsteps on wooden floors and the rattling of keys.

She took a small step back and plastered a friendly smile on her face.

"I don't know! I haven't opened the door yet!" a deep voice billowed from behind the door just before it swung open to reveal a very tall, thickly set man with balding grey hair and kind eyes.

She extended her hand and said, "Good evening sir. My name's Jessica King. I've been billeted with your family."

The man enveloped her hand in his. "We've been expecting you for some time Captain. We were worried one of the nosy neighbours had high jacked you."

"Oh yes, the lady across the street with the Maltese poodle seemed particularly dangerous."

He laughed, a deep rumbling sound that reverberated through his hand into her chest.

"Come in," he said, letting go of her hand and taking a step back so she could enter. "Oh, and call me Harry."

"Harry it is," she replied, taking a step inside.

The entryway was narrow with four hooks put into the right wall for coats and umbrellas. The distinctive aromas of lamb and roast potatoes floated up to meet her nose making her mouth water.

"Follow me, Jane is in the kitchen with our other guest."

She followed Harry down the hall, passing a comfortably furnished living room to her left with a fireplace already crackling in the corner.

She smiled to herself, she knew where she'd be spending her time off. Curled up on the large brown sofa she'd spied, the fire humming in the background.

Harry continued down the hall and passed through a door which she assumed led to the kitchen. She couldn't clearly see the room past Harry's large frame and whomever was in there was well hidden from her sight.

"She's here," Harry announced to whomever was waiting.

Stepping through the door she was met by the beaming face of her hostess. If Harry was tall and imposing, Jane was incredibly petite with mousy brown hair curled tightly and ruby red lips.

She extended her hand to the older woman but she simply brushed past it, instead embracing her in a surprisingly strong hug considering her size. Jane smelled like roses and bread and her hair tickled Jessica's face. All in all it was one of the best hugs she'd ever received.

Still holding onto her Jane said, "We're so glad you're here Jessica."

"Thank you for having me ma'am. This is far better than a barracks."

With a final squeeze Jane let her go, a little scowl on her face. "Jane, please. Ma'am always makes me feel terribly old."

She laughed. "Funny, that's usually what I say."

"Nonsense dear, you're still far too young to feel old. Now, let's introduce you to our other guest and then we'll eat."

Jane was about to introduce the soldier leaning against the counter when Jessica said, "Nixon. Well, this is a lovely surprise."

"Jessica, always a pleasure to see you."

"You two know each other?" Jane asked, a perplexed look on her face.

"We met State side, just before shipping out. Jessica here made quite the impression," Nixon answered on their behalf, his signature charm shining through.

"Oh well then, didn't this work out well," Jane said as she busied herself bringing food to the table.

"Can I help with anything?" she offered, scanning the countertops for something to do and coming up empty

"No dear, not tonight, but I'll take you up on the offer soon."

"Please do."

They all took their seats around the table as Jane placed the final platter of food down and Henry poured red wine into the waiting glasses.

"So Jessica darling, if you don't mind an old lady prying, how did you get involved in the war? I know our English girls have had to get stuck in, but even then it's mostly as nurses or the like," Jane asked as she piled their plates high with food.

Buying herself some time she took a drink of the wine before replying, "I was volunteered for a training programme when I was younger. It came with an excellent education and I suppose no one expected another war to break out so soon." She glanced around the table. Harry and Jane were listening politely, nodding between forkfuls of food, but Nixon hadn't touched his food yet, he was intently focused on her. "Anyway, when the war broke out we were ready to fight."

"How long have you been doing this?" Nixon asked.

"Since it started I suppose. We've worked with various Resistances, but most of our time up until now has been spent with the Red Devils."

"It did take the Yanks long enough to get their hands dirty in the fight," Henry remarked.

Nixon smiled politely around the rim of his nearly empty glass of wine, she was sure he'd heard similar comments before and now that they were in England he was going to hear it again.

"Will you be joining Nixon at the local pub tonight dear?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, you should definitely come along. I can think of at least one good reason," Nixon remarked with a smirk.

She suspected and hoped he was referring to Richard, but either way it didn't matter, she couldn't go out drinking and still be able to put their new recruits through their paces in the early morning hour. "Thanks for the invite Nix, but I'll have to rain check. I've got work to do tonight."

"What, but you only just arrived. Surely you can have a day or two to settle in," Jane exclaimed.

"We have a few new recruits we who need to be put through their paces as soon as possible. I'll be looking after then from 02:00 to 04:00 this morning, so I need to get as much sleep as possible before then. Which reminds me, I'll be away for long stretches over the next three days, but after that the training should become more regular. I'll do my utmost not to bother anyone."

"You need some more food then dear," Jane replied nonchalantly, scooping another roast potato onto her plate.

"Oh, um…thank you," she replied, a little bewildered by the sheer amount of food on her plate. "Rain check Nix?"

"You bet. You owe me a night on the town now."

"Deal."

Winters POV

He had a firm grip on Nixon's one elbow as he did his best to steer his friend to his billet while keeping him upright and quiet. They'd spent their first night on English soil in an English pub and his friend had been on a mission to show the English how it's done.

"Can you believe it Dick? 'Coz shit I couldn't believe my eyes when she walked through the door," Nixon said as he turned to look up at him.

He guessed Nixon was referring to the fact that he and Jessica were stationed at the same house. He'd been going on about it all night, using every possible opportunity to bring it up just so he could get a reaction out of him.

He'd done his utmost to hide the jealousy which ate at him whenever he thought about the fact that his best friend would be seeing her on a daily basis. At least it was Nixon and not some other officer. For all his talk he knew his friend wouldn't go after the woman he had feelings for.

 _Christ, feelings? Let's not get carried away Richard._

He almost chuckled to himself. He was known amongst his friends and men for being as straight-laced as they come. He didn't swear, smoke or drink. But something about that woman made him seriously consider doing at least two out of the three.

 _Maybe it's for the best. I don't think I'd be able to sleep knowing she was in her bed with only a wall between us._

"C'mon Nix, there's your place," he said when he spotted Nixon's billet a few yards away.

His friend reached up and gently slapped his cheek. "Don't worry Dick, I won't steal your girl."

"She's not my girl."

"And whose fault is that?"

 _Mine._

Not waiting for his reply Nixon said, "Speak of the devil and the bastard will find you. Look who's there."

He turned his head to follow Nixon's line of sight. A slender figure, dressed in a dark green uniform, was walking from the front door to the sidewalk. He knew it was Jessica, even with her long blonde hair tucked underneath a cap he recognised her instinctively.

"Jessica!" Nixon exclaimed, throwing his free arm in the air as if he was going to embrace her.

Jessica turned to them, a smile on her lips. "Hey there Nix. I see you had a good evening."

"Damn right I did. Would have been better if you joined us. Hey, you remember Dick, right?"

"Why yes I do. It's nice to see you again Richard."

He felt awful for thinking it, but he badly wanted the earth to swallow Nixon whole so he could be alone with her and avoid anything embarrassing his friend may say in his drunken state.

Hoping to keep Nixon quiet by talking he said, "I'm good, thank you. Nixon tells me you have to go supervise training now. I hope you were able to get some sleep."

"Oh, so you and Nixon were talking about me?" she replied, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh,umm….well…it came up," he stammered.

She gave them a lopsided smile. "I better head out. His room is the first door on the left. The second step from the bottom creaks like you would not believe, so try and give it a miss if you can. Good luck.

He glanced at his friend who was smiling like an idiot. "Thanks, I'll need it."

"Night Nix. Drink loads of water."

"Will do Jess."

She smiled and shot him a wink before turning and melting into the dark.

XXXXXXX

Hi! Sorry for posting a bit late, it's just been one of those week. Hope everyone is having a really good one!

Thanks to everyone that's added my little story to their alerts and favorites! And to my amazing reviewers, you all rock.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: the usual apply**

 **Chapter 6**

Jessica POV

Walking through the English countryside a lazy smile spread across her face. She could easily chalk it up to the soft, late morning sun warming her face or the beautiful scenery, pastures on her left, a thinning forest on her right. But none of those reasons would account for her feeling like she was walking on air. She was smiling because since she'd run into Nixon and Richard her brain kept replaying the way he looked at her, every word he said, whenever she wasn't actively concentrating on something else.

"What are you so happy about?" John asked.

The two of them, along with two new recruits were moving along the treeline while the rest of the team, with the exception of Clark who'd been called away, were moving through the centre of the little forest.

"I'm enjoying the last bit of sunny English weather."

"We haven't slept in nearly three days and I'm starving, so I'm gonna call bullshit on that reason."

She glanced over to him, catching the eye of Sergeant Roberts who was trying to hide the fact that he was listening in on their conversation. To her surprise she actually liked their replacements. They still had some way to go, but they were off to a good start.

"You know; I've forgotten how cranky you get when you don't sleep enough. Such a little darling princess."

John scoffed. "Look who's talking! I clearly remember you ripping a tank crew to shreds when they dared to start their tank's engine when you were trying to catch up on some beauty sleep."

"It had been months of fighting, and they were making a bloody noise. I didn't hear you complain."

"Of course not. I was fucking exhausted and you got them to shut up."

"I can be very convincing when I need to be."

"Convincing or scary as all hell?"

She grinned devilishly over to him, earning her a chuckle from Roberts and the other replacement, Parker.

"I'm warning you lads. The ones that look all sweet and innocent, are the ones you need to watch."

She was about to retort when a single shot, followed by an angry shout shattered the calm atmosphere.

The two replacements had dropped to one knee, but she and John had stayed standing, waiting to hear what happens next. They weren't in enemy territory and the area had been cordoned off just for their use so they had no real reason to be on high alert. The shot was expected, they'd brought the replacements out for a live ammunitions exercise where they find and shoot targets placed inside the forest. Her little team had completed their round first.

"Someone must have cocked-up a shot," John remarked as the silence continued to stretch out.

Just as she was about to turn a second shout reached them. This one didn't sound surprised, but rather angry and she didn't recognise the voice.

Without saying a word, she sprinted in the direction of the noise, the footsteps of the men sounding in her ears as they followed.

 _Fuck, if I get shot because of some idiot I'm going to be so annoyed_ , she thought, realising she was running into an ongoing live ammunitions exercise.

She could tell she was getting close because the shouting was getting louder with every step. Whoever this was they loved the sound of their own voice, not once did she hear anybody else get a word in edgewise.

Spotting the large group of soldiers she slowed her pace, buying herself some time to assess the situation.

"What the fuck is an entire Company doing on our training grounds," John hissed in her ear.

She scanned the uniforms, noting the screaming eagle patch on their arms. _Paratroopers._

All the men she could see were either crouched down or standing awkwardly, none of them looked happy or comfortable. Her eyes found two familiar faces in the crowd, Talbert and Malarkey. She couldn't see Arlene or the rest of her unit, but assumed they were standing near where the noise was coming from.

 _Well, at least if it's their CO screaming bloody murder they won't mind if I put him in his place._

She removed her helmet and clutched it under her left arm as she slowly and deliberately approached the group.

Bill POV

He'd never understood why people said they wished the earth would open up and swallow them whole, until that very moment.

He cringed every time Sobel directed another insult at the two lieutenants standing in-front of him. They all knew they were in the wrong place and he was sure someone was going to point it out soon enough. The whole spectacle was made even worse by the fact that the one lieutenant was the woman Joe had left with on their last night back home. You could practically see the anger rolling off of Joe in waves as Sobel flung another insult in her face.

 _He's gonna kill him. Joe is actually going to fucking murder him._

Movement to his left drew his attention away from Sobel. At first he didn't recognise the woman striding towards their CO. Here wasn't the gorgeous blonde with the stellar smile that had welcomed them to her table, but rather a determined soldier whose eyes were so hard and cold they would make Hitler himself flinch.

Toye nudged him in the ribs and he turned to look at him, mouthing 'I know' to his friend.

Coming to a stop between Sobel and the two officers she asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

Sobel looked over his shoulder in the direction she'd come from, he clearly hadn't heard her approach over the sound of his own voice judging by the shock on his face.

Partially regaining his composure, he turned back to her. "That sergeant shot at me. I'm lucky to be unharmed. I want his name and your unit. Now."

She quirked her head to one side, eyed him, then looked past him to where they'd entered the forest.

"Well? Are you going to answer me or do I need to find your superior? I assume he's close," Sobel spat, placing a lot of emphasis on the gender of her superior officer.

She slowly turned her attention back onto Sobel. "And why do you assume that?" she asked, her voice perfectly level.

 _Deadly._

Sobel made a grunting sound before retorting, "He obviously didn't leave you in-charge."

Her lips curled into a smile that never reached her eyes. "Captain Sobel correct?"

He nodded.

"Captain, luck had nothing to do with you being alive. The only reason you're still breathing is because my men are exceptionally skilled and were able to quickly react to your utter incompetence."

Sobel turned red in the face, a blue vein pulsing on the side of his neck. The forest became so quiet he could hear the men around him breathing, and he was damn sure they were all trying to be as quiet as possible, he knows he was.

Sobel was about to start shouting again when she coolly held up a hand and continued, "This area is a demarcated live ammunitions zone set aside for our unit. You are not supposed to be here without my prior consent and I sure as hell never gave it. Had you been shot it would have been your own fault."

"He aimed for my head!" Sobel exclaimed at the top of his lungs.

"No, he was aiming for that target," she retorted, pointing to wooden target hanging from a tree at head height approximately 27 yards away.

As Sobel glanced behind him to see what she was pointing at he kept his eyes trained on her. He watched as her right hand dropped to her sidearm and she unclipped it, her own eyes fixed on Sobel. She raised the pistol just as Sobel turned back to look at her. Ice cold blue eyes holding Sobel's she let off three shots in quick succession.

Sobel ducked his head, most of the men flinched and a deathly silence fell over them. He looked at the target, three shots grouped together, dead centre. As he turned back to Sobel and Jessica he caught the smile Winters was trying to suppress. If he didn't know any better he'd say the red haired officer looked proud, and a little smug.

Jessica calmly placed her sidearm back in its holster, allowing the silence to make her point for her.

"Now, since I've been a Captain for far longer than you have I'm your superior officer. So you will stand at attention before me, address me as ma'am and only speak when you are spoken to. Is that clear Captain Sobel?"

He could see Sobel's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, his face having drained of its colour.

"Well, did I stutter?" she asked impatiently.

Sobel moved to stand at attention as if he was in a daze. He shared a loaded glance with Toye and Malarkey.

"Who has a map and knows where you need to be?" she asked, looking past Sobel to the rest of the men.

Before anyone else could respond Winters moved forward and Lieutenant Welsh followed.

Winters POV

A part of him was shocked by Jessica's action, but the larger part was impressed and a little smug. He wasn't sure why he felt smug, she wasn't his girl, but seeing the respect and admiration on the faces of the men around him he couldn't help but feel a little proud and possessive.

"Lieutenants," she greeted them with a friendly smile, holding out her hand for the map.

Harry opened it up, holding it up for her to see.

"So where are you supposed to be?" she asked.

"Here," he pointed to spot on the map which aligned with the coordinates they were given.

She looked up from the map to stare at them for a second before glancing over her shoulder to Sobel. With a shake of her head she turned back to them and said, "You're here," she pointed to the map, "two miles off."

"Fuck," Harry mumbled under his breath.

She looked up and the shorter lieutenant blushed.

"Fuck is right," she replied.

Harry shot her a relieved smile.

She turned her gaze to him and winked and he swore he almost blushed.

She reached for the map with one slender finger. "The quickest route will be to go East for almost a mile, cross the stone bridge and then turn North East for the last mile. You'll cross countryside for the first part but once you get to the bridge you'll have a dirt track."

She looked up from the map and locked eyes with him. He had so many questions, so much he wanted to know. Every time their paths crossed she intrigued him more.

He cleared his throat before saying, "Thank you ma'am."

She nodded and turned to Sobel. "Captain Sobel."

"Ma'am."

"Never presume to give any of my men orders again. You need them to do something you run it past me first. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Sobel replied stiffly.

"The lieutenants know where to go. Now get your Company out of here."

Sobel snapped to and saluted her. She returned the salute half-heartedly and Sobel stalked past her to the waiting men.

She took a step towards him and whispered, "Good luck."

The one corner of his lips twitched into a lopsided smirk. "We'll need it."

Arlene POV

She watched as Easy Company left, her eyes glued to the back of one soldier in particular, the same one she'd been staring at since the altercation with Sobel had started.

The moment Joe had entered the clearing her eyes were inexplicably drawn to him. Their eyes had met and for a second he started to smile, but just as suddenly as it had started the smile had vanished, replaced by a wave of hurt which was followed by a hard anger darkening his eyes. He'd turned away from her so she could only see the side of his face.

Sobel had shouted and shouted, but it was nothing she hadn't heard before. She wasn't even the most senior officer there at that moment, Alex was, but as expected the captain had directed most of his anger at her.

She'd simply stared past him, knowing Jessica would arrive soon, but mostly transfixed on Joe. A part of her had wanted him to turn back to her, but the other part was scared of what she'd see if he did.

"You okay?" Jessica asked to all of them once the paratroopers were out of earshot.

"We are now. That little show of yours was bloody brilliant," Alex replied.

Jessica shrugged. They'd learnt a long time ago that sometimes you needed to put on a show to make a point. "Who was it that almost shot him?"

"Hunt," Alex answered, cocking his head in the direction of the young sergeant.

Hunt was exceptionally tall, with light brown hair and a real baby face. He looked harmless, but in the last three days they'd learned he was anything but.

"Hunt," Jessica called him over.

He walked a few steps closer to her, evidently nervous.

"I know you could have shot him, so well done on missing."

"Thank you ma'am."

"Next time, do us all a favour, get him in the shoulder or leg. Somewhere that won't kill him outright."

The sergeant smiled sheepishly. "Yes, ma'am."

"Next time?" she asked, her brain clutching onto those two words with hope and trepidation.

Jessica looked between their small group. "Clark is busying negotiating the terms of our training schedule with a select few Airborne Companies. Based on their track record Easy Company will be one of them."

"Why?" Alex asked.

"'Coz chances are if you need to work with any other division it'll be the American Airborne, so we want to train with them so we can choose which Company, or Companies, we work with."

"Why can't we work with the Commandos?" she asked, dreading having to face Joe again.

"Because we're Americans, the American generals want us working with their men. Now, once we get back to barracks you'll all have a 24-hour pass so rest up. If you want to go to the local pub that's fine, I will, but make sure you're ready to work."

Jessica looked over to her and she knew they would need some time alone to talk.

"I expect to see you five," Jessica looked to the new recruits, "there tonight. We need to buy you all an official welcome drink."

There was a beat of silence. They all smiled as they watched the wheels turn and click into place for the replacements.

"Shit, so we made it?" Sergeant Parker exclaimed.

"If any of you hadn't, I would have given Sobel your name. But you're part of us now, and no one messes with us."

The five new men smiled and patted each other on the back.

"C'mon, we still need to make it back to barracks. Double time," Jessica said and everyone groaned.

"Oh shush, the quicker we get there the quicker it's over."

With a groan the men fell into a relaxed column and started to jog in the direction of their barracks.

She held back and fell in next to Jessica.

"He hates me," was all she could think of saying.

"I don't think he hates you."

"He should."

Jessica shot her a sidelong look. "His pride's hurt and he maybe he feels used or disappointed. I think hate is a bit strong though."

"He won't even look at me."

"You need to talk to him. We're going to train with them and we can't have you distracted."

She sighed. "I know. It was easier facing a German firing squad."

"I can do it for you?" Jessica offered.

She knew her friend felt guilty, as if the whole debacle was her fault, but it wasn't, not really. She'd run away like she always did, so this was her mess to clean up. "No, I'll do it. I need to. First chance I get. Which is hopefully after a few glasses of something very strong."

They exited the little forest and jumped a fence which marked the Western edge of their training area.

"You joining us tonight?" Jessica asked.

"And miss seeing the men put the new boys through their paces? Never."

They ran in silence for a few moment, the edge of the town coming into focus.

"You know, you could make up with him? It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," Jessica volunteered.

"You know I can't do that."

"If you say because of the war I'll smack you."

She shot her friend scowl.

"Fine," Jessica held up her hands, "but we both know what it's really about."

She ignored Jessica and kept running, speeding up so she wouldn't have to finish their conversation.

 _She hated the fact that Jessica was right. Fuck you Michael._

Jessica POV

"Nixon!" she exclaimed as she entered the home they were sharing to find him standing in the hallway.

"Well, shit. I wasn't sure if you lived here anymore. Started to think I'd made the whole thing up," he replied.

"Fair enough, but I'm back now so you'll be seeing a whole lot more of me."

He gave her a mischievous smirk. "How much more?"

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop her lips turning up into a lopsided grin. The man did have a way about him.

"So, a little birdy told me you scared the good Captain Sobel into another blood type."

"That happened less than an hour ago. How do you already know?"

"I have my sources."

"And are those sources named Harry Welsh by any chance?"

He grinned. "Maybe, they could be Richard Winters."

"Could be, but Harry seems more the type to enjoy a good story."

"You hit the nail on the head doll."

She started up the stairs, dragging her exhausted muscles after her. Nearly three days without sleep was catching up to her and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to make it out the bed let alone out the door tonight.

"So it's true," Nixon said as he followed her.

"He was screaming at my men so I taught him a lesson in composure."

"Man, I wish I'd been there to see that."

She'd reached her door and turned to face him. "To be honest, I was half tempted to shoot him and put us all out of our misery, but I didn't have the energy for all the paper work."

"I would have done that for you gladly."

"Next time then."

"Got yourself a deal."

She enjoyed Nixon's easy going company. She didn't have to worry too much about playing a proper lady, she could just be herself.

"Listen, I don't know if you'll be able to join us, but we've got a 24-hour pass and we're heading to the local pub tonight. Bit of an initiation for the new boys."

"Well now, isn't it great when things work out. So happens I got myself a pass as well, and so does Richard," Nixon replied.

She ignored the butterflies taking flight in her stomach when he mentioned Richard's name.

"Good, then I'll see you both there. As I recall you still owe me a night out."

"And I'm a man of my word."

She smiled and opened the door to her room. As she stepped inside she saw Nixon bounce down the stairs, heading out for the day's work.

Looking at her bed with its billowing duvet and puffy pillows she considered just falling into it, but she knew if she did it would no longer be white, but a muddy brown.

 _Okay, you can do this. Bath and sleep. Okay._

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Sorry for the delayed update. The site was acting up and life's been a bit unpredictable the last few weeks._

 _If you're confused about when they got to England go check out Chapter 5. As I mentioned, the site acted up and chapter alerts didn't go out etc._

 _Thanks so much for everyone that added me to their alerts and for my amazing reviewers!_

 _I hope you all have a lovely weekend and a stellar week ahead!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 7**

Arlene POV

She tried not to laugh at John's rude joke, but failed and ended up choking on her beer. The men at her table all burst out laughing as she coughed and spluttered, trying and failing to regain her composure.

Alex and John had walked her to the pub almost two hours earlier, both men keen to get a good table and enough chairs for all of them. Almost within minutes of them arriving the five new recruits came in, walking tall in their new dress uniforms.

She'd waved them over and they'd joined them, but not before picking up a round for everyone.

"The uniforms suit you boys," she'd said.

They'd put them through three days of torture and now it was time to make them feel like they were truly part of the family.

Philips, the youngest of the new recruits at 20 replied in his Southern accent, "Thank you ma'am."

"Please, as long as we're not around the brass, you can call me Arlene. That goes for the rest of the unit too."

They'd smiled and grabbed their seats, eager to start the night's festivities.

Now, two hours and a couple of drinks later she was anxiously waiting for Jessica to arrive. Every time a soldier walked in her head shot up just so a wave of mixed emotions could wash over her. She kept expecting Joe to walk in, which would mean she'd need to face him, and she really didn't want to do that without her best friend there.

"There they are!" Alex exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air as he clutched a cigarette between his lips.

She looked up to see Jessica and Clark squeeze past a group of American soldiers, the men admiring Jessica in her light blue dress as she sauntered past.

"Miss us?" Jessica asked as she took a seat next to her.

"You, always. Him, not so much," Alex joked.

Clark placed a firm hand on Alex's shoulder. "And for that, you can get the next round for the table."

"Yes, sir," he said, mock saluting Clark before making his way over to the bar.

Jessica turned to her and said, "You look lovely. I always love red on you."

"Thank you. You clean up well yourself."

"You joke, but it took me a good hour to get all the English mud out of my hair. And then another 20 minutes to clean the tub."

"One of the perks of having brown hair."

"I assume Joe hasn't made an appearance yet?" Jessica asked as she took out two cigarettes from her purse.

Clark held out a hand and she handed both over to him. He quickly lit them before handing them back, never interrupting the story he was telling their newest members.

As she took one of the cigarettes from Jessica she said, "There's more than one pub in town, and he may not even have a pass to come out tonight."

Jessica blew out a long stream of smoke. "Both true. But this pub's the closest to their barracks and I ran into Nixon this morning."

"And?"

"He has a pass, and he told me so does Richard. Now it could be an officers only thing, but Richard and Joe are in the same Company."

"Richard huh? Your handsome redhead from New York and the boat? No wonder you're wearing that dress."

Jessica widened her eyes. "What? This old thing?"

"It may be old, but you and I both know what it does to the colour of your eyes."

"A girl has to play to her strengths darling. Just like you in the red."

"Here you go ladies," Alex interrupted them as he placed two double whiskeys down in-front of them.

"Thank you handsome," she replied and Jessica gave him a wink, her lips already curled around the cool glass.

She returned her attention back to Jessica and said, "What am I supposed to say anyway? Sorry for running out on you. Please forgive me and let's have tons of babies together?"

"Well, I would have settled for 'I'm sorry let's make up and make out', but sure, your way works too."

"I'm being serious Jessica."

"So am I."

She gave her friend a blank stare.

Placing the glass down on the table Jessica replied, "Fine. In an ideal world, what would you want to say. Let's start there."

She paused, taking a sip of the amber liquid to give her some time to get her thoughts straight. Finally ready, she answered, "That I'm sorry for leaving him and not a moment goes by that I don't regret it. That I've never felt as safe as I did in his arms, or as alive. And I know it's a lot to ask, but maybe we could start over."

The words had come out easily, feeling as natural as breathing, and they shouldn't have surprised her but they did. She'd thought about what she would say to him over and over again since leaving him alone in that hotel room. She'd just never said them out loud.

"That is exactly what you should say," Jessica said, soft smile on the corner of her lips.

She took a drag of her cigarette and replied, "No Jess. Things are just too complicated now."

"Things are always going to be too complicated. So why the hell not just give it a try?"

She held her friend's gaze and finally said the words she'd been holding back. "What if he breaks my heart?"

Jessica reached over and took one hand in hers. "What if he doesn't?"

She finished her drink and took a final drag of her cigarette. Jessica let go of her hand and turned to look at their table. The replacements had finished their drinks, whether out of nerves or wanting to impress the original members.

Reaching into her purse Jessica took out some money and handed it to Hunt. "Go buy a round for the men. My treat."

He smiled broadly and slapped his closest friend, West, on the shoulder to follow him. The two of them came from the same hometown and had basic training together. They were inseparable.

She watched them walk to the bar, joking over their shoulders and laughing at a joke one of them had made. For a moment her thoughts weren't on Joe, but on what would happen to the one if the other didn't make it out alive.

She felt a hand on her arm and heard Jessica say, "Okay, don't panic, but Joe just walked in with a girl on his arm. I'm sure she's no one."

With her heart sitting in her throat she turned to the door just in time to see Joe walk in with a very pretty strawberry blonde on his arm. He was talking to the soldier in-front of him, Toye if she wasn't mistaken, and the woman was clinging to him as if he was a life raft and she was drowning at sea.

"Look how she's holding onto him. She has legs, she can walk by her damn self. Tramp," Jessica hissed.

She pulled her eyes away from Joe and his pretty companion. "Jessica!"

"What? She's holding onto your man, I don't' have to like her or play nice."

"He's not my man."

"Well, he should be."

"Can we please change the subject to anything else?"

Jessica shrugged. "Sure, to what?"

She smiled, this time it was her turn. "To the very strapping soldier that just walked in who happened to have red hair and cannot stop staring at you."

Jessica's eyes widened and a shy little smile spread across her lips.

"When are you going over there to say hello?" she asked, enjoying the pleasant distraction the turn of events had provided.

"When doing so won't look desperate. So after a few more drinks with the men."

"I'll make you a deal. I'll speak to Joe, when you speak to Richard."

Jessica smiled confidently and held out her hand. "You got yourself a deal."

She shook her friend's hand, knowing she'd make good on her side of the deal.

 _Shit._

Joe POV

He'd run into Elizabeth on their second day in England. She'd been one of nurses tasked with giving them their next round of inoculations. A few of the guys had tried to chat her up, bit she'd politely turned them all down.

He'd been more determined that the rest, and finally after the third try she'd caved in and accepted his invitation to the local pub the first chance he got. He wasn't sure why he'd asked her. She was pretty, and seemed nice enough, but his heart wasn't really in it. No, the person he wanted didn't want him, so he needed someone to make him forget her.

Walking into the pub, surrounded by his friends and with Elizabeth on his arm, he felt pretty damn good. That was until he found Arlene sitting at a table, tucked in next to Jessica and surrounded by the men they worked with.

He hated how, even in a crowded pub, his eyes would find her even though he didn't want them to.

He knew Jessica had spotted him because she touched Arlene's arm and then Arlene turned to face him. In the moment their eyes met her swore his heart stopped beating. She was as breath-taking as she's been the first night he'd seen her or when she'd stood by calmly as Sobel had screamed in her face.

Just the thought of Sobel screaming at her made him tighten his fists. God, it had taken all his self-restraint not the punch their CO right in his yap.

He considered letting Elizabeth go, but then Arlene's eyes looked past him as if he wasn't even there as she continued talking to Jessica.

Just like that his anger at Sobel was replaced with something far more painful.

"It seems your friends found a table," Elizabeth said.

He looked past her to the table the men had occupied. He was relieved to see it was far away from Arlene's table, at least he wouldn't have to look at her all night.

He steered Elizabeth to the table and grabbed a seat, making sure to keep his back turned to Arlene.

"Get me a drink?" his date asked.

"Oh, yeah sure. Hey Frank, grab us a drink?" he asked Perconte as the other soldier started for the bar.

"Sure, you owe me the next round."

"Okay."

He turned back to Elizabeth, determined to forget Arlene and the feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Jessica POV

Gulping down her third drink of the evening she felt the all too familiar tingling sensation in her fingertips.

"Okay, I'm going to keep my side of the bargain," she announced to Arlene as she stood and straightened out her dress.

"It really isn't the same thing," her friend remarked.

"You're the one that made the deal, not me."

Arlene mumbled something under her breath which she couldn't hear, but she was sure contained at least two curse words.

She ignored her friend, and squeezed past the soldiers crowded near their table.

Someone grabbed her hand and she turned around to see Clark looking up at her. He looked past her, no doubt to the table of officers she was heading for, before giving her a fond smile.

She returned his smile and with a squeeze he let go of her hand.

She closed her eyes for a split second, calming her mind and heart down like she'd done a million times before. Of course those times were matters of life and death, not talking to a man.

 _God, what has become of me?_

Snapping them open she put a whisper of a smile on her lips as she made her way over the waiting table.

"Jess, doll, so glad you decided to join us," Nixon greeted her as she neared them.

"Well Nix, there are few things I wouldn't do for a free drink."

The men laughed and Nixon got up to give her his seat next to Richard.

"Oh no. You don't have to get up for me."

"I have to buy you a drink anyway. And I'll just take a chair from another table. I have excellent scrounging abilities."

Richard got up and for a moment she was deeply disappointed, thinking he was leaving as well, but then he stopped behind her waiting chair, strong hands resting on the back.

She smiled up at him and took her seat, allowing him to push her in.

"Thank you."

"It's my pleasure," he replied, taking his seat next to her. She was happy to see they were sitting very close together, their bodies barely two inches apart.

She reluctantly pulled her eyes away from his to look at the rest of the table. "Well, I know Harry, but I don't believe we've met?" she said, eyeing the lieutenant with light blond hair and square jaw.

"Buck Compton ma'am," the officer introduced himself, stretching his hand out across the table.

She shook his hand. "Jessica, please."

"Sure thing. I gotta say, those shots you took this morning were damn impressive."

She stole a glance at Richard, trying to gauge his feelings towards those three shots. He looked at her, his crystal blue eyes making her head spin for a second.

Looking away she softly cleared her throat and replied, "Thank you. I've had a few years to perfect them."

"Yeah, Nixon told us you've been at it since the start of the war," Harry said.

"Oh yes, but I could shoot before that."

"Yeah?" Harry asked.

"My farther loved guns. Taught me and my bother how to shoot at an age when most kids were playing with their dolls and trucks."

Buck put his glass of beer down on the table and said, "Well, he'd be damn proud of you then. Although, I don't know how he feels about his daughter fighting in the war."

"If he was still around I'm sure I'd get an earful on a regular basis."

The table fell quiet and Buck's face dropped.

 _Damn._

"Oh, Buck, please don't worry. He passed away a long time ago."

Buck gave her a half-hearted smile.

"Jessica," Nixon said as he returned to the table, delicately balancing four glasses, "I was going to buy you a beer when the bartender said you've been drinking double whiskeys all night. You're a woman after my own heart."

She smiled at Nixon, grateful for the drink and for the fact that he'd lifted the mood. "Thanks Nix. I don't mind beer, or really good wine. But this pub carries a decent whiskey which you don't always get and I'm not passing up the opportunity for a decent drink."

Nixon placed her glass in-front of her before doing the same for Harry and Buck. As he turned to find a chair she looked to Richard, noticing for the first time that he only had water in-front of him.

"Did you have a rough night or don't you drink?" she asked him.

He looked down at his water before looking back to her. "Don't drink."

She bit her lip. She drank, and smoked, surely he was going run for the hills soon.

"Yeah, Mister Goody-Two-Shoes over there has no vices," Nixon chipped in as he pulled up a chair.

Richard scowled at his friend.

Oblivious to the tension between his two friends Harry said, "So Jessica, I heard we're gonna be training with you all."

She turned her attention to Harry. "You sound awfully excited at the prospect."

"You kidding me? Sobel's going to hate every second of it which means I'm going to love every second of it."

"I'm going to be completely professional. I didn't want to embarrass the man, but he went after my men and I'm extremely protective of them."

"He deserved it," Richard remarked and she saw the surprise on the other men's faces.

"All I know is I suffered through basic training under that ass and I missed the show. So I really hope he does something else and that I'm around to see you rip him to shreds," Nixon said as he leaned back in his chair.

"I understand, but it doesn't make my job any easier if he's difficult, especially since we need to decide which Companies we want to work with once you all deploy."

"Wow, you all really get to choose?" Harry asked as he blew out a long stream of smoke.

"Yes, we get our pick. And honestly, if Sobel does or says anything out of line, it'll be Clark that sorts him out and I don't wish that upon any man."

"Really?" Buck asked.

"Clark can be ruthless when he needs to be, he wouldn't hesitate to rip any man limb from limb if need be."

Nixon raised his glass and said, "Here's hoping needs be then."

"Here-here," Buck chimed in as he and Harry raised there glasses.

She looked over to Richard. He was sitting back in his chair, his glass still firmly on the table.

"You don't feel the same?" she asked.

He looked away from his three companions who'd slipped into their own conversation and said, "I want what's best for the men. In combat he's going to get them killed, but what are you going to do? For now he's our CO. All I can do is protect them to the best of my abilities."

"That's a heavy burden to bear Richard. You can't protect your men from the enemy without and within while still succeeding in your missions."

He dropped his head and sighed. "I have to try."

She looked at him and she could see the weight he was carrying on his shoulders. Reaching for his hand she rested her fingers on top of his. "If you need to talk to someone, or not talk, just sit with someone. I'm your girl."

His hand turned around so her fingers were resting in his palm. She imagined how it would feel if he curled his fingers around hers and her heart raced. He looked up from their hands and met her eyes. "If I want to talk about Sobel?"

"If you want to talk about any of it. I know how hard it can be leading men into a war. Sometimes you just need someone that understands."

She felt his fingertips twitch and her heart soared, but then as if he thought better of it he moved his hand away.

She steeled her face, a familiar mask falling into place, as she raised her glass and joined the other men's conversation.

An hour and two drinks later she excused herself. The rest of the night had actually turned out quite lovely after her excruciating disappointment. Harry and Buck were endlessly entertaining and she loved how Nixon would mercilessly tease Richard just for the other to retort with a well-hidden sarcastic comeback.

Making her way over to the bathroom she glimpsed Joe standing by himself near the end of the bar. Turning around she caught Arlene's eye and using sign language, told her what she'd seen.

She could see her friend take a deep breath, looking for all the world like she was about to invade Berlin, before she got up and made her way over to Joe.

 _Here's hoping she has more luck than I did_ , she thought dryly.

Knowing Arlene would hate an audience she continued on her way to the door. She wasn't sure if it was because of the full to capacity pub, the smoke hanging thick in the air or Richard's rejection, but she needed some air.

As she stepped outside the fresh air moved a few stray strands of hair against her cheeks. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing the feeling of the cool air moving into her lungs. There was giggle to her right. Turning in its direction she saw a dark haired woman pressed up against the wall of the bar, a soldier leaning in against her, his face buried in her neck.

 _I hate my life._

She turned away from them. With no clear destination in mind she started to slowly walk away from the pub, needing some distance between her and the loved up couple.

When she was a few feet away from the door she heard a pebble skip across the cobbled street. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and for the second time that night her heart beat furiously in her chest. Scanning the street ahead she spotted a dark alley off to her left a few feet away. Forcing her feet to move at a steady, relaxed pace she controlled her breathing. A part of her mind told her she was being paranoid, years of fighting making her see monsters where there were none, but she hadn't listened to that part before and she sure as hell wasn't going to start now.

 _If it's nothing they'll walk right by,_ she told herself.

Finally reaching the mouth of the alley she ducked in and sprinted a few steps before reaching underneath her skirt and pulling out the switchblade strapped to her thigh.

 _Never leave home without it._

She carefully made her way back to the mouth of the alley, pressing herself into the shadows and tightening her grip on the hilt of the knife. Her ears straining, all she could hear were the muffled voices from the pub, but she waited. She knew someone was behind her and unless they'd turned back to the pub, they had to come this way.

As if on cue a tall, dark shadow stopped at the mouth of the alley before moving into the shadowy corridor. He was wearing a uniform and looked strong even in the bad light. She knew she had to be quick and ruthless otherwise she'd be in trouble.

 _Now._

Stepping out of the deep shadow she rushed the figure, using all her weight to throw him off balance he smacked hard into the brick wall. With her free hand she landed a punch into his stomach, making him bend over, gasping for air. She pulled him up by his hair and pressed her elbow against his throat as she level the blade against the soft skin.

"Think about moving and I'll cut your throat. Why are you following me?"

The man choked but didn't try to fight her off, instead holding up his hands. "I saw you walking off by yourself. I thought it was dangerous for a woman to be on her own so I followed to make sure you were fine. Clearly you're the most dangerous thing out here, but the figments of my imagination tend to be."

She knew that voice, she'd heard it once before on the voyage from the States to England.

 _Well shit, chalk one up to paranoia._

She slowly lowered the blade but still kept a firm grasp on the hilt. _Just in case_.

Her eyes had adjusted to the dark and now that the adrenaline was beginning to fade she could make out the soldiers features. His eyes were as dark as she remembered, but he seemed taller now that their bodies were pressed together. He held her gaze, not flinching or trying to move away. She could feel the heat from his body on her skin.

She slowly dropped her arm from his throat and took a small step back. He rubbed his throat while eyeing the knife she still held into.

"I don't know you, and you followed me into a dark alley. So I'm going to hold into this," she said, shaking the blade back and forth.

"You have one hell of punch. You could show my men a thing or two," he said, not seeming the least bit upset that she'd just held a blade to his throat.

She eyed him for a few moments. Deciding he wasn't going to try anything she closed the blade and lifted her skirt.

His eyebrows shot up.

"Calm down. I'm just putting the knife away."

"I feel like I should be insulted for a few reasons."

She rolled her eyes and he smirked.

As she straightened out she said, "I'm not going to say I didn't mean to hurt you because I did, obviously. But I am sorry."

"That's fine. I should have known better than to follow you."

"Why did you? You could just have come up to me and asked to walk me to wherever I was going?"

"And then you wouldn't have pulled a knife on me?"

"Not immediately."

He smiled and reached inside his pocket, taking out two cigarettes and lighting them he handed one to her.

"You didn't look like you wanted company," he finally answered her question.

She took a drag before replying, "I wasn't heading anywhere in particular. Just needed some fresh air. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Either you were outside already, or you followed me out."

"I was outside already."

"Oh no, you weren't the soldier making out with the girl against the wall were you?"

He smirked. "You almost sound disappointed."

"Don't flatter yourself. I'd just feel bad for her. It sounded like she was having a real good time."

He took a drag and quirked his head to one side. Blowing out the smoke he said, "No, but that was one of my men and he'll be on latrine duty for the next few days."

"That's a bit harsh."

"He should have done it somewhere more private. The locals already think we're a bunch of hooligans coming to terrorise their daughters."

"You don't strike me as the type to worry about what other people think."

"I don't, but my superiors do."

"I see. You still didn't answer my question. Why were you outside. There are a lot of pretty girls in the pub who would give anything for a the attention of a handsome lieutenant."

He paused and she wondered if he was ever going to give her a straight answer.

"A British soldier was telling a story of how he nearly died at some place called Dunkirk. After listening to it I needed some air. My men can't see things like that affect me."

She nodded and took a very long drag, the smoke burning into her lungs. "A place like Dunkirk will affect anyone that survives it. It clings to you, becomes a part of you."

He eyed her before asking, "Were you there?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice as a vivid memory flashed before her eyes.

"Now I'm sorry."

She managed a soft smile. "We survived and more importantly the British Army survived to fight another day. That's all that counts in the end."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No, not now at least. Maybe one day when all of this is a bad memory. Or when I'm really spectacularly drunk."

He finished his cigarette and tossed it to ground, stomping on it to make sure it was out. "Are you the officer that shot a Captain?"

She threw her own cigarette to the ground. "That depends on which Captain you are referring to."

"An American one."

"No, I did not shoot him. I shot near him with the intention of illustrating how close he came to being shot."

He smiled approvingly. "I still don't know you're name."

She held out her hand and he took it, an unexpected jolt traveling from their palms into her stomach. "Jessica King."

"It's a pleasure to officially meet you Jessica. You are by far the most fascinating woman I've ever met," he said, not letting go of her hand.

She quirked an eyebrow up and looked from him to their hands.

He smirked but let go of her hand. "Can I walk you back to the pub?"

She smiled and started for the mouth of the alleyway. "Well c'mon," she said over her shoulder.

"The most fascinating," she heard him whisper to himself just before he fell in next to her.

Winters POV

He watched as Jessica slipped out the door, his eyes never leaving her, and then he continued to watch the door to make sure no one followed her. He couldn't explain why, but he felt a deep protectiveness for the woman.

He'd been so busy watching her leave that he hadn't noticed Nixon move from his seat to the one previously occupied by Jessica, so when his friend said, "What the fuck was that?" he nearly punched him in the face.

"For Pete's sake Nix, don't sneak up on me like that. I have a gun."

"Answer my question."

"What question. You didn't ask one."

"Oh, so you need me to spell it out for you? Fine. I saw you and Jessica. You could have taken her hand and you didn't. No, instead you pulled your hand away like some goddamn fool."

He rubbed a hand over his eyes. He had been a fool and he didn't even know why. All he'd wanted to do when she sat down next to him was put an arm across the back of her chair so the entire place could see she was his. But he hadn't. And when her hand was in his, his fingers wanted to close around hers and drag her out of the noisy pub to somewhere more private, where he could have her all to himself. But he didn't. Instead he'd pulled away.

 _Typical._

"I don't know what you're talking about Nix," he lied.

"I'm not an Intelligence Officer for nothing. You like her and for whatever crazy reason you refuse to do something about it. So as your friend I'm going to tell you something you don't want to hear."

Nixon paused dramatically and he became a little bit worried about what he was about to say.

"If you don't make a move soon, someone else will. You and I both saw the looks she got from half of the men in this place. And if she ends up someone else, you're going to be miserable and I don't want to have to tell you 'I told you so'."

He knew Nixon was right. In all his life he'd never been this drawn to someone. In so many aspects she was his exact opposite, but that only made the attraction stronger, it only intrigued him more. So why did he refuse to do something about it? Because he needed to remain in control, and she made him feel so out of control he wasn't sure he could handle it.

"I hear you Nix. We'll see," he mumbled.

Nixon stared at him and for a moment he was sure his friend was going to punch him, instead he shoved his chair out as he stood and said, "I'm getting another drink."

Not for the first time he wished he did drink.

Arlene POV

She spotted Joe leaning against the bar, cigarette casually dangling between his lips as he waited for his order. By some miracle he was alone, neither his friends or his date nearby.

She took a moment to admire him and acknowledge her heart beating at a million miles a minute.

 _You've faced dozens of Germans, you can handle one American_ , she told herself as she took a deep breath.

With all the cool confidence she could muster she approached him, making sure to stay out of his direct line of sight so he'd only notice her once she was close.

He ran his hand through his slicked back hair and looked over his shoulder. He spotted her and for a moment her world stopped turning. To her surprise he didn't turn away, instead turning towards her, a cocky smirk on his lips as he eyed her up and down.

"Joe, I thought it was you," she said, coming to a stop in-front of him.

"I bet seeing me wasn't the type of surprise you were hoping for," he replied dryly.

His words stung, but she hid it behind a well-rehearsed smile. "Not at all! You'll always be a lovely surprise."

He snorted and took a drink of the beer resting on the bar near his elbow.

"I suppose I deserve that."

He took a drag of his cigarette. "Don't worry about it. You were right, I was planning on making a run for it. You just saved me the trouble."

She looked away from Joe to grab the barman's attention. "Double whiskey please."

The balding man nodded and poured her a drink, sliding it over to her. "On the house."

She smiled her thanks, not yet trusting her voice after Joe's harsh words. Taking a long sip she allowed the bitter liquid to settle her nerves.

"You just get what you want, don't you?" Joe said.

She looked at him over the rim of her glass willing her anger at his insults to win out over her anguish. With a twist of her lips into a thin smile she replied, "What can I say? Unlike some people I actually have a personality people like."

"You seemed to enjoy my company."

She shrugged, anger now having fully won. "Well, there's a reason I left in the morning."

His jaw clenched as he pushed himself off of the bar, straightening out to his full height. She couldn't help herself, she admired the flex of his muscles, the way his jacket tensed over his chest.

 _Damnit, it's a good thing we're not alone._

Movement over his shoulder caught her eye and she saw his date approach, her pace slowed by the press of bodies she had to navigate. Knowing she had very little time to say at least some of what she'd come here for she said, "Listen Joe, I didn't come here to pick a fight or waste your time. I did come over here to apologise for leaving the way I did, but clearly you couldn't give a rat's ass. We're going to be working together, so I trust you can act professionally."

His stance softened a fraction and she saw his fingers trace the rim of the beer glass. Just as he was about to say something a slender arm wound around his waist, quickly followed by his date's smiling face.

 _Jessica's right, she does look like a tart._

"Who's your friend darling?" the woman purred.

She swore she saw Joe stiffen at the sound of her voice, his hand remaining on the beer glass and his arm at his side. "She's someone I know from back home. She just came over to tell me we're going to be working together."

"Oh?" the woman said, her voice reaching an uncomfortably high note.

She smiled politely. "Yes. I just came over to catch up a bit so we can just get down to business when we see each other again."

Joe nodded. "Yip, it'll be business as usual."

"Good," she replied, holding Joe's gaze for a few heartbeats before turning to look at his date. "You two have a lovely evening further."

The woman gave her a deadly smile. "You too."

With a nod to Joe she took her drink and walked out the door.

Outside, away from Joe and his date she felt the anger ebb away, again making space for hurt.

She threw her head back, downing the whiskey in one swig, relishing the heat burning her throat.

"Arlene?" she heard a familiar voice.

"Jess? What are you doing out here?" she asked, seeing her friend walk up to the bar, a very handsome lieutenant at her side.

"I needed some air. You?"

"Same, plus a drink. Unfortunately the drink's done."

Jessica nodded, glancing at the door as if she'd find answers there. "Wait here. I'll fetch our things and another drink."

"We don't have to leave now. I just need a moment."

"No, this isn't a mission we have to see through to the bitter end. The men were drunk before I'd left, by now they'll be three sheets to the wind."

"Fine, whatever you want to do," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant when really she could kiss Jessica for saving her from having to watch Joe's date fawn all over him.

Jessica turned to the handsome soldier and said, "Ronald Speirs, this is Arlene Walker. We work together."

Ron nodded. "Ma'am."

She smiled politely.

"Ron, would you mind waiting with Arlene while I grab our things? But I have to warn you, her left hook is meaner than mine," Jessica said, a lopsided smile on the corner of lips.

"I'll keep a safe distance then," he replied, and she felt like they'd shared some inside joke she wasn't yet a part of.

Jessica touched her shoulder and said, "I'll be right back."

"Okay."

Once Jessica had disappeared into the smoke and noise of the pub she turned her full attention on to soldier. He was leaning against the pub wall, absentmindedly playing with a his lighter.

"How did you two meet?" she asked.

"Well, we met on the voyage over here, but honestly I wasn't sure she was real. And then tonight I followed her into an alleyway because I was worried about her safety, and let's just say I know now without a doubt she is very real."

She eyes him. "You followed her into a dark alley. Do you have a death wish?"

He smirked. "What can I say. She wasn't what I'd expected."

Jessica POV

Shoving her way through the crowded bar she made a beeline for their table. She'd been right, the men were truly drunk now. They were leaning on one another as they sang a tune she thought she recognised, but couldn't be sure of through all their slurring and made up words.

"Sorry to interrupt boys! Just grabbing Arlene's and my things. We're heading home for the night," she nearly shouted to be heard over the din in the pub.

"What? No!" Clark objected, trying to grab her but failing miserably in his drunken state.

She laughed. She really hoped at least one of them was sober enough to make sure the others got home safely. Quickly scanning the faces around the table she found her two candidates. Alex and the replacement Hall still seemed relatively clearheaded, at least in comparison to the rest.

"Alex, Hall," she called them and both men got up from their seat and made their way over to her.

Before she even had the chance to say anything Alex said, "We lost the coin toss earlier. We'll make sure they all get back to their beds safely without throwing away their good name to much."

She looked at the table of men. "I think the latter part is a lost cause already, so I'll settle for getting them into their beds in once piece."

"Deal," Alex said.

"Do you want someone to walk you home ma'am?" Hall asked, his eyes scanning the crowded pub, either searching for an escort or a threat.

"Hall, if you call me ma'am one more time when we're not on official business I'll make you regret it."

He smiled shyly and looked down at his boots.

"But thank you for the offer. We'll be fine though. I'll see you all tomorrow afternoon."

She grabbed their purses and jackets and waved at her friends before making her way over to the bar. Spotting two familiar faces she squeezed in between them, shooting them both her best smile.

"Jessica! I mean Captain, ma'am," Malarkey stammered.

"Malarkey, Bill," she greeted them, "please don't call me ma'am when the brass isn't around. I much prefer Jessica or Jess or whatever other adorable nickname you can come up with."

"Our very own Calamity Jane it is then," Bill said and he laughed at his own joke.

"I'll take it. Now, I'm going to have to butt in here, I have a lady waiting for me outside."

"Oh yeah, I saw Joe's girl here," Bill said, looking around for either Joe or Arlene.

"I think his girl is the blonde hanging all over him darling."

"Nah," Malarkey said, "she's just a nurse he met when we came into town. She's no Arlene that's for sure. Not judging by the way he was keeping an eye on her the whole night. I'd be surprised he's said two words to his date since we got here."

She smiled. _Alcohol, you beauty. Now only if I could get Richard to have a drink, maybe he'd be more forthcoming with his feelings._

"Sir," she called over the barman.

"What can I get you? Another whiskey?"

"Tell me, how many bottles do you have left? Of the good stuff."

The man ducked his head underneath the bar for a second before popping back up and replying, "Five."

"In that case," she said, taking money out of her purse and putting it down on the bar top, "I'll take two bottles."

The barman eyed her but didn't say anything. Taking her money he handed her two bottles and continued serving the constant stream of waiting customers.

"Are we invited to this party?" Bill asked.

"Sorry fellas, it's a private event, but this one is for you," she replied, handing Bill one of the bottles.

"Shit, really?" Malarkey asked, grabbing the bottle from Bill.

"Yip, have a drink on me with the rest of the fellas. See you around boys," she said, shooting them a wink and turning to leave.

Nearing the door she felt someone watching her and paused, looking over her shoulder to find Richard staring at her.

She threw her hair over her shoulder and gave him her best Hollywood smile, but didn't stick around to see what he did, opting instead for dramatic exit.

Getting back outside she was relieved to see Arlene and Ron making polite small talk. She knew the moment she'd seen Arlene that she was either going to murder someone or start crying, and she didn't want Ron to bear the brunt of either option.

"Here you go," she said, holding out Arlene's jacket and purse.

Her friend took her things, quickly shrugging on her jacket.

She struggled with her purse and the bottle and was about to put both down so she could put on her jacket when Ron stepped forward and took it from her.

"Here, let me help you," he said, holding out her jacket for her.

Switching the bottle and her purse from the one hand to the next she slipped into her jacket, wondering if Ron's hands remained on her shoulders a few moments longer than they needed to.

"Thank you," she said, looking up at him over her shoulder.

He quickly stepped away and straightened out. He glanced at the bottle of whiskey in her hand but didn't mention it, instead saying, "It was nice to meet you Arlene. And as always, eventful to see you Jessica."

"You too Ron," Arlene said.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment you know," she said.

He smirked. "You should."

"Good night Ron," she said, walking past him.

Once they were a few feet away from the bar she cracked open the bottle and took a swig, grimacing at the warm whiskey.

"So, Ron huh?" Arlene said, holding out her hand for the bottle.

Handing the bottle over and lighting a smoke she replied, "We've just run into each other a few times."

"He's very attractive."

"I never said running into him was a bad thing."

Arlene shook her head, but at least she was smiling. They exchanged the whiskey and the cigarette and before she took a drink she asked, "So, what happened?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Oh, mine's quick. Nothing. Nothing is what happened. Something almost happened but then it didn't. I suspect I've officially gone crazy and am making things up in my head, because I'm starting to doubt whether or not Richard 'I'm such an annoying gentleman' Winters has any interest in me what so ever. Your turn."

Arlene took one last drag of the cigarette and held it out to her. Handing her the bottle her friend said, "How much time do you have?"

"For you? All night."

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Hello! Hope you all had a good weekend filled with yummy food and lots of laughs. For everyone that keeps coming back to the story and those that leave reviews and add me to their alerts thank you so much! You all make my day._


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 8**

Arlene POV

She was able to avoid Joe for three weeks after their run in at the pub. Three weeks to lick her wounds and pull herself back together was all she got until they had to train with Easy Company.

In those three weeks she hardly spoke about what had happened and only Jessica knew the full story. Well the bits she could remember through the whiskey induced haze. They trained hard, making sure their new recruits were as ready as they could be and then they started training with a select few Companies.

Most of their training consisted of field exercises or close quarter combat drills. Here and there, when Clark or Jessica really felt like having some fun, they'd organise a jump. She didn't mind jumping, but it wasn't her favourite thing in the world to do, but those two, they loved it.

After every training session they all had to give detailed feedback to the trainers, and Clark kept meticulous notes, because by the end they'd have to share their feedback with Colonel Sink and more importantly, choose the Company, or Companies, they'd be willing to work with.

As the day of their first session with Easy rolled around she'd steeled herself for the worst, which is probably why it ended up being bearable. She and Joe hardly saw each other, she only ever glimpsed him from a safe distance, and Sobel got chewed out so badly by Clark even she felt bad for the guy. For a minute and then she got over it.

They had five sessions with Easy over a two week period and they all played out in a similar fashion. She didn't know whether it was by luck or design, but she didn't complain or ask. What she did find out though was, of all the Companies they trained with, she unfortunately liked Easy the most. Of course they were all excellent, but Easy just had that little something extra. She liked the men, for the most part, and with the exception of their CO, the officers were all pretty good with Winters being exceptional.

She understood why Jessica liked him, he was handsome and strong, not easily shaken or swayed. She also understood why her friend wasn't sure what his intentions were or weren't. She'd often catch him steeling a glance at Jessica, or smile at a comment her friend made to someone else, but he never allowed himself to be alone with her, or approach her outright unless it was for work. At least she knew Joe hated her guts, Jessica either had a man that was falling in love with her or one that couldn't remember her name.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, putting all thoughts of Joe or Jessica out of her mind. Slowly opening them back up she focused on the targets set at various intervals on the furthest end of the shooting range. She was lying flat on her stomach, her rifle wedged against her shoulder, the cold ground steadying her. Whenever she was distracted she found coming to the shooting range helped her to work through her thoughts and feelings, mostly because she couldn't over analyse them while hitting a target yards out.

Closing her one eyes she levelled the sights of the rifle over the centre of a target set just over 500 yards out.

 _Breath in, breath out, pull._

The gun slammed into her shoulder with a satisfying thud and a pin prick of light appeared in the centre of her target.

"Holy shit! What a shot!" someone yelled from behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder, annoyed at the intrusion, only to have her stomach sink. Standing there in the soft winter sunlight were Bill, Luz and Joe.

 _Fantastic. Now we get to talk with an audience and firearms. This should end well._

As she got to her feet the three men walked closer, Joe hanging back a little bit from the other two men. She liked Luz and Bill, a lot, it was Joe that was making her fight or flight instinct kick in.

Doing her best to hide her rapidly increasing heart rate she said, "Hey boys. How are you doing? We haven't seen you in a few days."

"Yeah, heard you all were busy training with Dog. Be honest, you missed us?" Bill replied, shooting her a wink.

 _Charmer._

"A little bit. Maybe," she teased him, a lopsided smile on her lips.

"Knew it!" Luz exclaimed.

Smiling at the two men her eyes drifted to Joe. He was staring intently at her, with his hands shoved deep inside his pockets and his strong jaw set. She felt her smile falter so she consciously turned away from him, focusing instead on the other two soldiers.

"Where are your guns?" she asked, only now noticing none of them had one with them.

"Oh, we didn't come here to shoot," Bill replied.

"You do realise this is the shooting range right? It's kinda in the name."

"Yeah-yeah, wise ass." Bill said, lighting a cigarette before offering her one.

"No thanks," she replied, watching from the corner of her eye as Joe took a step closer so he was standing next to Bill.

"Why don't you offer me one?" Luz asked Bill.

"'Coz you ain't a beautiful broad," Bill retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Awww, thanks Bill. That just made my day."

Bill's smile broadened and he stood a little straighter. For a second she thought she saw Joe's posture stiffen even more that it already was, but she brushed it off. He probably just hated being close to her and the fact that his friends were being nice to her.

"So, if you didn't come here to shoot, why are you here?" she asked, eyeing the three men suspiciously.

Bill cleared his throat and glanced at the two men at his side. "Well, some of the fellas were arguing about what the war was going to be like. And whenever we trained with your unit you'd all give us useful, practical advice, so we were hoping you could tell us some of your first-hand experience."

"Oh, I see," she replied, trying to rack her brain for the right words.

Before she could say anything more though Luz interrupted her. "Yeah, we've seen you coming here to shoot on your own, so we figured we'd catch you and ask."

"You could have asked any of us. The men and Jess will be happy to talk. They've got a lot of good stories," she said, unsure why they chose her.

"We know. But to be honest the three men are kinda intimidating," Luz said.

"Speak for yourself," Bill mumbled under his breath, but loud enough for all of them to hear.

Shooting Bill a glare Luz continued, "And Jessica always has someone with her."

She smiled softly. "I see. Well, what do you wanna know?"

Taking a drag from his cigarette and blowing out the smoke Bill asked, "What's it like, really? Not the bullshit stories the recruiters tell you."

She took a moment to choose her words. She wanted to be honest, they deserved to know the truth and needed to be prepared, but at the same time she didn't want to be to brutal and crush the naïve hope they had. "Well, for starters those stories are probably all true. Glammed up a little bit no doubt, but true none the less. People do incredible things when they have to. The recruiters just avoid telling the entire story. The beginning and the end bits where people are dying, and screaming. That often soldiers to remarkable things not for country or glory, but for the man in the foxhole next to them. Their brothers."

The three men stared at her, not moving and barely breathing.

"Most of the things that happen never make it into a newsreel. Like a solider running into enemy fire to drag his buddy to safety, or the man willing to stay behind and pin down an entire enemy Company so his friends can get away. The soldier that gives his last smoke to his dying friend or the guy that shares the one K-ration he has with his squad because they don't have any food left."

"It's bad isn't it?" Joe asked.

She turned to him and his eyes weren't dark and hooded anymore. They were reaching out to hers, trying to connect, and for a blissful moment she forget they were fighting. Looking only at him she answered, "Yes, because people are willing to do terrible things to one another. But, and this is the important part, people are also the reason why you keep fighting even when you no longer have the energy to. You never stop fighting for the people you care about."

He held her gaze and the seconds of silence that followed dragged on for an eternity. An eternity she wished would never end, but it did when Luz asked, "Any advice?"

Tearing her eyes away from Joe she replied, "Trust your training and the man next to you. Also, don't get shot."

Luz rolled his eyes at her last comment, but she saw the smile on the corner of his lips, although in all fairness that seemed to be one of his permanent features.

"We'll try our best doll. Now listen, onto a not entirely unrelated topic," Bill said.

"Okay?" she asked, worried where this was going.

"You lot gonna choose Easy to work with or what? 'Coz you know we're the best."

"Easy's definitely in the running. There are just a few factors to consider."

Bill snorted. "Let me guess, they're all called Sobel?"

"He doesn't help your cause."

"Man, the highlight of my day was every time Clark chewed him out, or Jessica would give him a look that would make Hitler squirm," Luz said, a fond look in his eyes.

"Yeah, it's not very professional, but neither one of them is really the type to keep quiet when they don't like something. And they're not patient. I think they use it all up on missions so they don't have anything left for their day-to-day lives."

The three men chuckled. When it came to their CO it was a case of either laughing or crying because there wasn't much else they could do at the moment.

"Anyway," Bill said, looking to Luz, "we gotta head back for chow. Thanks for talking to us."

"Anytime. And if you want to hear some really colourful stories I'll take you to Johnny or Alex. Now those two can spin a tale."

"The next time we see you at the local pub we'll keep you to that. C'mon Luz," Bill said, slapping Luz on the chest.

"See ya round doll," Luz said as he followed Bill back to the Easy mess.

Realising Joe wasn't following them she felt her pulse quicken again _. Man, being around him is like a cardio workout._

"How's your girl?" she asked the first thing that came to mind. She kicked herself for asking, she didn't really want to know.

"Who?" he asked, scrunching up his face.

 _So adorable. Why must he be adorable? And why are we talking about his girlfriend?_

"The pretty nurse with blonde hair," she answered despite herself.

"Oh, yeah, her. She ain't my girl."

Her heart soared, but she shrugged and answered casually, "Oh, I see."

An awkward silence fell between them but she'd be damned if she was going to break it, besides Joe had stayed behind for a reason and she wanted to know why.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and ran a hand through his neatly combed hair. "Listen, ummm - I. Jeez. How much fighting have you seen?"

"A lot. It's been a few years so it all starts to add up."

"I suppose it does."

More silence.

She sighed and asked, "Joe, is there anything else you want to ask, or say?"

He looked at her and his eyes hardened again. "Nah, I've got nothing more to say."

She nodded, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach. "I see."

"See ya round," he said, turning and walking away from her before she had a chance to reply.

"Yeah, see you around," she said to herself.

 _What the hell was that?_

Jessica POV

Walking through the streets of Aldbourne after a long day of training she lifted her face to the late afternoon sun.

"You should watch where you're going instead of sunning yourself," a gruff voice said next to her.

Barely turning her head she glanced sideways to see Ron walking beside her.

 _Where the hell did he come from?_

"This isn't exactly London. I'm sure I won't get run over."

"Pretty confident of yourself aren't you?"

"No more so than you."

He smirked and she couldn't help herself but she smiled back at him. Since their little run in weeks earlier they'd spoken on a handful of occasions, mostly when her unit trained with his Company. He always seemed to find a way to get a few moments alone with her, even when they were surrounded by soldiers.

"How did the training go? Heard you had combat drills with I Company," he asked.

"Fine I suppose. I accidently broke a private's nose."

He raised an eyebrow. "Accidently?"

"Accidently on purpose. If I'm being honest it's a bit of an improvement to his stupid face."

"What did he do?"

"Insinuated in an incredibly unimaginative way that I should go to bed with him. I mean I've heard worse, but at least those men all tried to be smart about it."

He looked away from her, staring ahead of him at something she couldn't see. Steeling a glance at him she had to admit to herself he was strikingly handsome. She also understood why the men were all a little afraid of him. He could easily come across as hard and ruthless, and she had no doubt he had it in him to be both, she just wasn't one to flinch.

"You don't seem too upset," he finally said.

She shrugged. "If I got my panties in a twist every time a man made an inappropriate comment about me I would never get anything done. Besides, after a few months on the job you learn to pick your fights."

"And today was one of those days?"

"A fight suggests there was a chance the other man could win."

He looked over to her. "With you, does the other guy ever stand a chance?"

She replied with a crooked little smile.

They rounded a corner and she saw Nixon and Richard leaning against low wall, talking amongst themselves as a group of Easy soldiers played basketball in the street. A jeep sped past them and she thought she recognised Sobel's little side-kick sitting in the passenger seat.

 _That can't be good_ , she thought.

"You know what the problem is?" Ron asked, drawing her attention back to him.

"What?"

"Most men just can't keep up with you, so they can't win a fight against you."

She stopped and turned to face him. With her hands on her hips and her face tilted slightly to one side she asked, "And you think you can keep up?"

He smirked. "I think it'll be one hell of a challenge, but I could handle you."

"Well then, what are you waiting for?" she replied, not able to help herself.

"I'm not going to fight you in the street."

"Who said anything about a fight?" she replied, a mischievous glint to her eyes.

Ron swallowed hard.

She smiled victoriously.

"This isn't over yet," he replied.

"If you say so," she teased him, knowing well enough he wasn't the type to shy away from a challenge.

"I'll see you soon King," he said as he popped a cigarette between his lips.

"I'll be looking forward to it Speirs. Oh, and do try and keep up next time," she greeted him with a wink.

Walking away from him she could feel his dark eyes on her back. As much as she hated to admit it she got a thrill out of their interactions. There was always a push and a pull, and even though she wasn't sure what his intentions were she knew he had some. With Richard on the other hand it felt like a one way street at times. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't keep her mind from returning to him again and again.

 _Why can't they all just be ugly and terribly boring?_

Speirs POV

He watched Jessica saunter off. Watching her had become an annoying habit of his, one he wasn't trying very hard to break if he was being honest.

When she reached Winters and Nixon he turned and left, having no intention of being caught staring.

The walk to his billet was a short one which he knew well, so he allowed his mind to wander back to her.

 _What is it about this damn woman?_

He'd asked himself that question countless times since meeting her on the trip over from the States. Of course she was beautiful, but many other women were and he knew that wasn't the answer. Her fearlessness perhaps, or the blue hot fire that burned in her eyes when faced with a challenge? God knows she was stubborn and wilful, he didn't know her well but he knew that much just by watching her interact with her unit.

He sighed and rubbed his hand over his eyes.

He'd never been unsure, he wasn't known for hesitating, so why was he unsure now?

 _Damn woman._

Then of course there was the added complication of Winters. He could see that the man was interested in her even if she couldn't. The Easy lieutenant would steal looks and whenever Nixon brought her up in conversation he'd hang on every word, and Nixon brought her up often.

They shared a billet and it seems they'd become fast friends, often staying up late talking over a glass or two of whiskey.

He stomped out the butt of his cigarette with more force than necessary. He was jealous of the time Nixon got to spend with her, the things she shared with him.

 _You can't be jealous if you're a coward and not doing anything about it._

Reaching his billet he cursed, frustrated with his own indecisiveness and with her for causing it.

 _Damn woman._

Richard POV

He'd been so preoccupied with Sobel's letter that he hadn't noticed Jessica approach, a rare occurrence considering how painfully aware he was of her every move.

"Nix, Richard. How are you doing?" she greeted as she stopped in-front of them.

"Oh just peachy," Nixon replied.

She looked from Nixon to him, waiting for someone to elaborate.

He sighed and handed her the letter he'd been holding. Nixon was going to tell her anyway.

Their fingers brushed as she took the letter and he worried she could feel his pulse racing.

"A love letter?" she asked him, eyeing the piece of paper like it was a live grenade.

He smirked. "Sobel's version of one."

"I thought I saw his lapdog speed away."

He watched her closely as she read the short letter. Her brow furrowed and her full lips pursed into a thin line as he posture stiffened. When she looked up her eyes held the same controlled anger they had that day in the woods. He hoped he was never on the receiving end of that look.

"He misspelled court-martial," was the first thing she said.

Despite the situation he found himself in he smiled just as Nixon exclaimed, "That's what I said!"

"I cannot believe he's threatening to court-martial you for failure to inspect latrines."

"He's saying I failed to follow orders," he corrected her.

"Oh, please. That's just a thinly-veiled excuse. He wants to put you in your place because he's threatened by you."

Nixon reached over and took the letter from her hand. "Yeah well, if you can't do, nail the ones who can."

Jessica locked eyes with him and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't look away. She sighed. "You're going to request trial by court-martial aren't you?"

"No he isn't!" Nixon exclaimed, but he didn't say anything, just kept his eyes on hers.

He could sense Nixon looking between the two of them.

Throwing his hands in the air his friend said, "Oh, great! This is just fantastic!"

"Nix, calm down," Jessica replied, finally pulling her eyes away from his.

Feeling like he could think straight again he asked, "How did you know?"

"You have a terrible poker face. And I would have done the same thing."

The corner of his lips turned up into a lopsided grin. Why was he not surprised. "I don't want to leave the men. But if this keeps going on, he'll find a reason to keep me from jumping anyway."

She bit her lower lip and a frown appeared between her eyes. He'd seen that look a handful of times when she'd been faced with a problem, and every time he had the same gut instinct. Pull her flush against him and kiss her.

He cleared his throat and folded his arms across his chest. He was facing the end of his career, this was not the time to think about kissing Jessica King.

"Listen, we're leaving town for a few nights, we have a meeting in London. Please promise me you won't do anything stupid until I get back?"

"Stupid? Him?" Nixon said, jerking his thumb in his direction, a truly confused look on his face.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Yes-yes, I realise he's perfect and has no vices and therefore doesn't do anything stupid. But just in case, I'd feel better if he promised."

"Jessica," he started but she stopped him.

"Please Richard, for me?" she asked as she looked up at him from under her impossibly long lashes.

He sighed, he knew what he had to do and he couldn't lie to her, but he was willing to promise her anything if she'd save that look only for him. "I have to see him tomorrow morning. I'll give him my answer then. Other than that, I won't do anything until you get back. Promise."

She didn't look happy, but she seemed to accept his answer. "Okay. Listen I have to run. I have dinner plans with Arlene and then we're catching the last train to London. I'll find you when I get back and we'll figure something out. You're a good soldier and you're men need you. I'll be damned if Sobel keeps you away from them."

He ignored the way his heart sped up when she said she'd find him, instead he nodded coolly and replied, "I'll be looking forward to you getting back then. Be safe."

She smiled. "Who, me? Safety is my middle name."

"I doubt that," he replied.

"Hey, why aren't you gonna find me when you get back? I feel a little left out here," Nixon said.

Jessica turned to him and smiled fondly. "Nix, I live next door to you. I don't have to find you." She stepped forward and placed a soft kiss on his friend's cheek. "There, feeling better now?"

His friend smiled and he resisted the urge to punch him. It could have been him getting a kiss from Jessica if hadn't been such a fool.

"I'll see you both when I get back."

"See you roomie," Nixon said.

"Be safe Jessica."

"Always," she said with a wink.

As she turned to leave the basketball from the game some of his men were playing landed at her feet. In one smooth movement she picked it up and tossed it gracefully into the hoop.

The men all cheered and she blew them a dramatic kiss. Glancing over her shoulder, her dazzling smile stretching across her face, she winked at him and he felt his heart explode in his chest.

Nixon waited until she disappeared around the corner before he said, "Please tell me you're going to make a move soon? I'm getting tired of watching you watch her and then pretending like you don't. 'Coz if you don't do something a certain Lieutenant from Dog will."

He grabbed the letter from Nixon's hand and stuffed in into his breast pocket. "I have to deal with this first Lew."

"Goddamnit Dick, there'll always be something else to deal with. Sobel, a war, death. Seriously, just make your move already or someone else will. It ain't that complicated."

He didn't reply immediately, instead leaning back against the wall and watching the men play. "Christmas," he said after a while.

"What about it?"

"If we can make it to Christmas I'll make a move."

"Great, so all I have to do is keep her single until Christmas. That shouldn't be difficult at all," his friend said, sarcasm dripping on his every word.

"Nix," he replied, hoping to end the pestering for now.

"Fine-fine. Christmas it is then."

XXXXXXX

 _Hello! It's been a while I know. I still write most days, but things have been busy at work and home so it's slower going than I would like._

 _I know I sound like a broken record, or that annoying song that keeps playing on the radio, but I just want to thank everyone that added the story to their alerts and of course to the amazingly supportive reviewers for their feedback. I know you're all busy so the fact that you keep coming back to read my little story means the world to me._

 _Hope everyone is going to have an amazing week further. Chat soon._


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply**

 **Chapter 9**

Jessica POV

"They did what?!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

The five officers had just arrived back in Aldbourne from their business trip to London when Hunt and Parker found them. With a hasty salute the two replacements quickly brought them up to speed on what they'd missed.

Richard had gone through with his threat and requested a trial by court-martial, that much hadn't surprised her, he seemed like the type to mean what he says and say what he means. What had caught her off guard was the news that followed. The NCO's had all tended in their letters of resignation in protest. An act of mutiny which was punishable by firing squad.

"What happened next?" Clark asked in a measured tone.

 _Good, so he's formulating a plan._

"Colonel Sink called them into his office. Transferred one out and busted another down to Private but otherwise nothing more than a slap on the wrist," Hunt answered.

"When was this?" Arlene asked, everyone trying to learn all there was to know as quickly as possible.

"Sink's meeting? This morning. So far nothing else has happened that we know of," Parker replied.

She exchanged a look with Clark and Arlene. Their imminent meeting with Sink suddenly even more important and delicate than before.

"Thanks for bringing the news to us. We'll handle it from here. Get back to barracks and change into your OD's. Alex, John and Arlene will be taking you through to the shooting range once they've changed out of their dress uniforms. Tell the rest," Clark ordered their newest members.

The two men nodded before quickly turning and jogging in the direction of their barracks.

"We'll meet you at their barracks when we're done. Be ready for night training," Clark said to the three lieutenants.

"And this mess?" John asked.

"We'll deal with it," she replied, not sure what they could do, but knowing something had to be done.

Her friend nodded and turned to leave, Alex and Arlene following him after the latter gave her upper arm a squeeze.

"I assume you have a plan?" Clark asked her once they were alone.

Her initial shock now fading she responded calmly, "We stick to the plan. Give Sink our honest assessment and provide him with a reasonable alternative."

Clark raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I just assumed you would go with the kicking ass and taking names approach after the latest development."

"Well, that's still plan B."

His lips turned up into a lopsided grin.

She rolled her eyes. "We better get going, being late won't help our case."

"Lead the way," he said, gesturing in the direction of Battalion HQ and Sink's office.

As they ascended the stairs of the old manor house the battalion had commandeered she briefly noticed the sidelong glances they were receiving. She was used to it, hardly ever noticed it anymore, but every so often she'd be reminded of the fact that to those around her, she wasn't where she belonged.

She lifted her head higher and held the stare of two young soldiers that were gaping at her. The boys quickly realised they'd been caught and looked away, turning their heads so fast she was sure they'd have whiplash.

Clark chuckled beside her just as they entered the building.

She briefly glanced over at him, shooting him a wink.

"Colonel Sink's office?" Clark asked an orderly stationed near the door.

The young man stood and saluted them. They quickly returned the gesture. After years in the field they often forgot how formal the military could be.

"Down the hall, last office on the right Captains," the young man replied, to his credit keeping his face neutral.

"Thank you," she said, turning sharply on her heel.

The building was busy, everywhere you looked a soldier was handing out or receiving an order. In the few seconds it took them to get to Sink's door she saw more paper flying around than she had in years.

 _An intelligence gold mine_ , she thought.

When they reached the door leading to the Colonel's chambers Clark opened it, allowing her to step in first before he followed, neatly shutting it behind them.

"Ah, Captains Clark and King. The Colonel is expecting you. Please follow me," a solider greeted them as soon as they stepped through the door.

She nodded to him and followed him through another door, entering a large parlour. Two large bay windows spilled light into the wooden clad room. The floor and walls were made of a dark stained wood, and a dark carpet damped their footfalls. Large brown leather chairs situated across from an already burning fireplace dominated the centre of the room, while an impressive desk sat tucked into the furthest corner. A butler's tray perched on-top of a serving trolley stood directly opposite them and a tall officer leaned over it, his back to them.

As the man turned the orderly shut the door behind them. Every time she met the Colonel she found herself liking him more. He had thick brown hair with streaks of grey and a thicker moustache. His eyes held no malice or ill will, and he always treated her with the utmost respect.

They snapped to attention and were about to salute him when he waved them off by holding out two tumblers to them. She smiled politely and took the glass, happily eyeing the amber liquid splashing back and forth.

"Please, sit," Sink said, gesturing to two of the chairs.

They took their seats and he, with his own glass in hand, took one across from them.

"How was London?" he asked.

"Good," Clark replied.

"I believe the Red Devils tried to convince you to stay with them?"

 _The man had contacts._

"They tried, but we're American and would prefer to fight alongside our own if possible. They understood," she replied.

"I'm sure they were damn disappointed and after getting my hands on your files I understand why. Quite an interesting concept your unit. A bit of an experiment I gather. "

She smiled and took a sip of her drink. _Cognac, the good stuff._

"At the time the unit was formed yes, but less so now. The British have something similar but far more established in the Special Air Service," Clark replied, approvingly eyeing his own glass.

Sink nodded. "I heard about that. Covert reconnaissance and direct action mostly if I remember correctly."

She smiled politely. "That's mostly right sir."

"What I'm still trying to understand, and I mean no offence Captain," Sink continued, tilting his glass in her direction, "was how you and Lieutenant Walker joined the unit."

"Oh, no offence taken Colonel," she replied, quickly swallowing the mouth full of Cognac she'd been sipping. "We had actually both enlisted prior to the formation of the unit. Initially our role would have been similar to that of an SOE agent, however when our unit was formed the powers that be decided to assign us to them. I guess they were already experimenting, figured they should go all out."

The Colonel nodded, mulling over her words. After a few moments of contemplative silence he said, "Well, you ever get a hard time from the Brits for turning them down, let me know."

"Oh, they took it pretty well. Said if we ever changed our minds we know where to find them," Clark replied.

"You ever feel like it's going to come to that, you come to me first. General Eisenhower holds your unit in high regard and I'd never hear the end of it if you left under my watch. Although I would get a Christmas card from Montgomery."

She smiled. "The General is being generous in his opinion."

"Now, you and I both know, when it comes to combat, that isn't his style," Sink replied.

She nodded and took another sip, waiting for the real reason for their meeting to come around.

As if reading her mind the Colonel said, "Now, I've read your reports and overall I'm pleased with your assessments, but I have a question. Something I need clarified."

"Please," Clark replied, gesturing for Sink to continue.

"In your report you state that Easy Company shows the most promise, however you also state under its current condition you would not consider working with it. You understand my confusion."

She and Clark looked at each other. They'd purposefully left the reason for their assessment out. Not only did it guarantee them an audience with Sink as they were sure he'd need clarification, but it was also one of those things best left off of paper.

Turning back to Sink she found the officer staring at them intently over the rim of his glass. She took a deep breath and eased back in the high back chair, her own glass casually hanging between her fingertips. Now was not the time to look nervous.

"All the Airborne Companies we had the privilege of training with are exceptional. The men are well trained and incredibly well conditioned, Easy Company more so than most. We believe this is due to the rigorous training Captain Sobel put the men through in preparing them not only physically but mentally for the pressures of combat."

Sink nodded and leaned forward.

She looked to Clark as he continued where she'd left off. "However, it is our professional opinion based on years of experience that Captain Sobel is not fit to lead that Company into combat. He simply does not have the necessary temperament and we cannot in good conscience allow our men to work with anyone that will diminish their chances of success."

The Colonel eased back in his chair, looking out of the nearest window.

"Permission to be blunt sir?" she asked.

She could feel Clark looking at her and she sensed his unease, but now wasn't the time to leave anything up for interpretation.

The Colonel turned to face her and said, "Please do. I'm tired of all this political back and forth."

"Sir, the Germans are excellent in what they do and they do not need anyone to help. Captain Sobel is excellent at what he does, but leading men into combat is not it. Whether or not we work with Easy Company is irrelevant, what's important are the lives of all the men under his command, and by extension your command. If you send those men into war under Sobel fewer of them will make it home alive."

A heavy silence fell over the room. She held Sink's gaze, never flinching or showing the nerves gnawing at her insides.

The Colonel eased back in his chair and for the first time she noticed the strain around his eyes. He had his own doubts and concerns. "A jump school is opening up in Chilton Foliat for non-combat military support personal. The position of commander is open," he said.

 _We know_ , she thought, they'd been the ones to make sure the news crossed Sink's desk.

"Well sir, we can't think of anyone better to run it than Captain Sobel," Clark said as if it was the first time he heard the news.

Sink nodded to himself as he took another sip of his drink. "It would solve the unpleasant business of Lieutenant Winters' court-martial."

Swallowing her own drink she said, "We know the men respect the Lieutenant and it would boost their morale."

The Colonel placed his glass down on the side table nearest his chair. "In your reports you didn't say which Company you would want to work alongside. I assume you have one in mind?"

"Who would take command of Easy sir?" she asked.

"Lieutenant Meehan is senior, he'll take over."

They both nodded and Clark said, "Meehan's a good man and a good officer. He'll do well."

"Well then?" Sink asked as he stood.

The both placed down their glasses and stood, taking the Colonel's que that the meeting was officially over and they had to make a decision.

"We'll start training with Easy as soon as Meehan takes command of the Company. It's important the men get used to working alongside us as soon as possible," Clark gave the answer they'd agreed on days earlier.

The Colonel's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles. "Good to have you on board."

The both snapped to attention and saluted the senior officer. He quickly returned the salute and they turned to leave. Once outside HQ she filled her lungs to capacity, feeling like a weight had been lifted off of her chest.

"Once Meehan's promotion is formalised we need to have a meeting with him. Make sure he's given access to our files, well the parts that haven't been redacted. We also need to ensure he's comfortable with our role and how we fit in with Easy," Clark said.

"And then he can brief the other officers. We can help him prepare what to say and what not to say."

"Well, the one list is significantly shorter than the other one."

"Let's focus on what he can say then, less to remember."

Clark smiled and they started in the direction of their billets. As badly as she wanted to go in search of Richard and find the Easy NCO's so she could give them a piece of her mind they had to change and get to the rest of their unit. The uncertainty surrounding their future assignment had, had them all on edge so they needed to hear the good news as soon as possible.

"Jess," Clark said softly as they neared her billet.

"Yes?" she replied, a little nervous at his uncertain tone.

"Do you think Arlene will be able to work with Easy?" he asked, refusing to look her way.

She grabbed his arm, stopping him and making sure he looked her in the eye. "Arlene is a consummate professional. She was able to train with Joe and she'll be able to fight alongside him, but you already know this so what's really the problem?"

He visibly swallowed.

"Ok jeez, what is it? The last time you were this nervous lots of people died and I very nearly drowned."

He pulled a face and his eyes darted around before settling back onto hers. "You should know the SOE asked for you and Arlene to join them for operations in France in preparation for the coming invasion of Europe."

She dropped her hand from his arm and took a deep breath. The Special Operations Executive, or SOE for short, was formed at the start of the war by the British government to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe. Because of their specific training and the work they'd done with resistance movements they'd often crossed paths with SOE agents which had eventually led to them working the odd mission with the SOE. She and Arlene didn't really mind it. A large part of their training before the men had joined them had been in those areas the SOE specialised in so it wasn't far outside their comfort zone. What she did mind though was taking any of the men with her. They hadn't been trained to be spies, it was really something they'd learnt on the fly as it had become clear the defence of Europe wasn't going to be fought in the traditional manner any time soon.

"When?" she asked.

"You can say no. You're not SOE or British."

"I know, but it'll help us to know first-hand what the situation is on the ground. We didn't come up with all those fancy protocols to communicate in secret for nothing. I lost a lot of beauty sleep for those!"

She'd tried to make light of what they both knew was a very dangerous assignment, but Clark didn't budge, he simply kept staring at her, a deep frown running between his eyes.

"I assume they've put in the request with the American command?" she asked.

"They have and once I confirm our assignment with Easy they'll let Sink know. Everyone agreed it's up to you, but it's both of you or nothing."

She looked over his shoulder to two boys riding their bikes down the street, their smiling faces reminding her of home. "I'll need to talk to Arlene first, but I'm sure she'll be willing to go."

Clark took out his pack of smokes, aggressively tapping it in the palm of his hand.

The sound drew her attention and she turned away from the boys to look at him. "If we ignore the fact that they asked specifically for the two of us, you're in command so you can't go. They want two women which makes perfect sense. Grown men of fighting age, who clearly know how to handle themselves, would only lead to trouble."

"Jessica," Clark started but she cut him off. "No Clark, this is my call. Besides, this way if the mission goes South you'll still have Alex and John and five excellent replacements."

"But it's you and Arlene."

She smiled at her friend, they both knew she was taking the assignment, he'd known it the moment the request had crossed his desk.

"So, when?" she asked.

He relented with a sigh. "Sometime after Christmas. Early Spring probably. You'll just have to be ready."

"So the usual for SOE then?"

He cracked the beginning of a smile. "Yeah, the usual."

"Right, well, you can tell them we accept."

"You don't want to wait to talk to Arlene?"

"If she knows I'm going and that they want her as well Roosevelt himself wouldn't be able to keep her in England."

"You sure?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, because if the roles were reversed I'd already be packing my bags."

He nodded.

"I'll talk to Arlene tonight and then we can tell the rest of the team."

"SOE won't be happy with that. Everyone knowing."

She shrugged. "They'll live. Besides, it's better our team knows the truth. Otherwise they'll go digging around and raising eyebrows. You know how nosy those bastard can be. At least this way we can brief them to keep the real assignment secret."

"Fine, but for the record I'm not happy about this."

She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll miss you to."

He rolled his eyes at her but she saw him smile. "C'mon, we're gonna be late."

Arlene POV

"I'll meet you at the firing range," she shouted over her shoulder to her men as she jogged in the direction of the barn Easy Company was using as a mess hall.

The moment Hunt had told them about the NCO's resigning from Easy Company her stomach had dropped into her shoes. It had been a desperate act of mutiny by desperate men. She understood their reasoning, but during her time spent with Easy she'd become friends with some of the NCO's and the thought of them endangering themselves sent the all too familiar feeling of panic clawing at her insides.

 _Mutiny, damned mutiny. I'm going to kill them,_ she thought as she neared the mess hall, her panic and concern for the men quickly turning into anger towards them.

She spotted three familiar soldiers ambling in her general direction and she sped up so she could cut them off before they joined another group.

"Hey, Lieutenant Walker. Nice to see you again," Bull greeted her in his warm Southern accent. She liked Sergeant Randleman, he was naturally a warm person even though he wasn't very talkative. His nickname Bull perfectly summarised how physically imposing he was, but with his curly blond hair and round face he reminded her of her little cousins.

He was walking with Sergeants Lipton and Martin. The first time she'd met Lipton she'd thought he reminded her of an exasperated mother trying to keep all her children from getting themselves hurt through their own stupid antics. He was a good soldier and a fine leader with a sensible head on his shoulders.

Johnny Martin was a short man and if looks could kill he'd be even more deadly than he already was. He almost always had a scowl on his face, and where Lipton reminded her of a mother hen Johnny reminded her of an Italian mother about to scold their son for being a complete damn fool. Most of the men were a little weary of him, but she knew he only kept them in-line the way he did because he wanted them to get home alive.

The three men had stopped walking as she approached them, and when she didn't return Bull's greeting she could see them exchange glances.

"Oh, look. You're all still alive. For a moment I thought I was going to have to interrupt your execution long enough to tell you all what colossal idiots you are," she said as she stopped in-front of them.

They all opened their mouths to respond but the look she gave them told them it was best to keep their thoughts to themselves. They may look like the type of men you'd think twice about crossing, but right then, she was the woman none of them would dare to cross.

"The only reason you are all still breathing is because one, Sink is an intelligent man and two, everyone has bigger problems to deal with, namely the German army. You were all damn fools!"

She stood there, watching the three of them her chest heaving slightly as she tried to catch her breath.

"Hey, if it aint' the pretties Lieutenant," a familiar Philly accent came from behind her.

As she slowly turned around to face Bill she saw Lipton shake his head and Johnny mouth something to her approaching friend.

"You okay Arlene, you look like you're about to kill someone?" Bill asked, stopping next to her.

She tilted her head slightly to one side and smiled sweetly. "Well yes Bill, I am. Would you like to get in line?"

Johnny dropped his head and Bull ran his hand over his face as Bill looked confused between the group. "What?" he asked when no one explained what was going on.

"Now Bill, I would think committing mutiny would be more memorable."

Bill's face dropped and for a few seconds he lost his usual confidence.

"Arlene," Lipton started tentatively, "we had to do it. If you knew what had happened with Winters you'd see that we didn't have a choice."

She sighed, she could feel her anger starting to wane and she wasn't ready to let go of it just yet. "You think I don't know what happened with Winters? Jeez boys, I knew before you did."

"Then you understand why we did what we did. Why we resigned from Easy. We couldn't follow that man into combat," Bull said, picking up where Lipton had left off.

"And what about the men depending on you? What about them?" she asked, hitting them where she knew it would hurt most.

"That ain't fair," Bill said, but she could see the guilt eating at him. "We figured if we did this Sink would have to do something. We did it for all of us."

She looked between the four men and she could see Bill's guilt mirrored in all of them. Her own anger finally vanished and she let it, suddenly feeling tired. "I hate the fact that any of you are going to be in danger soon enough, I'd prefer it if you didn't bed danger before then."

"You were worried about us?" Johnny asked.

"Boys, a woman won't come all the way down here to give you a piece of her mind if she didn't care. Of course I was worried. Annoyed and royally ticked off, but also worried."

"Aaawww….doll. I knew you had a soft spot for us," Bill said as he pulled her into a side hug.

She rolled her eyes but didn't struggle out of the embrace.

"Not that it helped much. Sobel's still in-charge, Winters' been assigned to mess duty and we're still going to war," Bull said.

She wondered how Jessica and Clark's meeting with Sink was going. She was in on their plan, and she hoped it would pay off, she'd hate to see these good men go into war under the leadership of a man they didn't trust.

"You never know Bull, things can change quickly round here, sometimes for the better," she said, extracting herself from Bill's side.

Johnny lifted an eyebrow and said, "What'ya know?"

"More than you do, but nothing that I'm sharing right now."

"You're outnumbered doll. Spill," Bill replied, softly nudging her in the ribs.

"Oh boys, it's cute that you think you can make me talk. I've faced far, far worse than the four of you."

"Really?" Bull said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes," she replied simply.

"Oh c'mon! Give us something?" Bill pleaded on everyone's behalf.

She paused for dramatic effect, feeling the suspense build in the air around her. "Fine," she said, sighing dramatically. "Let's just say there was me, eleven SS officers, one Dutch Resistance member and a grimy bar in Holland. By the time everything was said and done all the liquor in the place was on the floor, the SS were all dead and I'd received two marriage proposals."

There was a moment's silence and she could see the cogs turning in their heads as they tried to make logical sense of what she'd said.

"I have so many questions," Lipton mumbled.

She smiled, all her anger from minutes before now well and truly gone. "Well, I'm glad you're all still in one piece. Promise me when any of you get the urge to do something stupid again you'll come talk to me first? Hopefully I can knock some sense into you."

The four men nodded sheepishly.

"Good. Now you each owe me a drink for all the stress you caused. I swear I aged years in the last hour."

"It's a date doll," Bill said, shooting her a wink.

"I better run. See you around boys," she said as she turned and left.

"See ya doll!" she heard Bill call after her as the other men chimed in.

She was a few feet away from the sergeants when she spotted Joe leaning against the wooden fence that surrounded the Easy mess. He was smoking a cigarette, the smoke hanging around him in the cold, winter air. He didn't flinch when she caught him staring, his dark eyes remaining trained on her, his body turning to follow her path.

She stopped and turned to face him, daring him to make a move. He flicked the cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with his boot. He moved away from the fence and for a moment she thought he was going to walk over to her. Her heart sped up and she stood up even straighter. She hated the effect he still had on her, but she couldn't deny it and she wasn't going to run away again.

He stopped a few feet away from her and she could see the frown etched into his forehead. She badly wanted to close the space between them, but she refused to be the one to make the first move again. As if on cue he turned away from her, marching over to the group she'd just left.

 _Typical_ , she thought, the fight starting to boil up inside of her again.

 _At least I get to shoot things now._

Joe POV

He nervously paced up and down the sidewalk with one hand stuffed inside a trouser pocket and the other holding his second cigarette to his lips as he watched the house on the opposite side of the street.

He'd spotted Arlene the moment she'd neared the Easy mess. His heart had stopped beating for a split second before it starting racing at a break neck pace. He'd kept a safe distance from her, she clearly hadn't gone there looking for him and he had no idea where to even begin a conversation. He always assumed there would be a perfect moment for them to reconcile, that was until he saw the way Bill held her. He'd seen red, at Bill and at himself. Yes, she'd walked out on him, but right now he was allowing her to leave without a fight, and he never walked away from a good fight.

"Fuck," he swore as the hot tip if the cigarette burned his fingers.

Taking it as a sign he quickly stomped it out, straightened out his uniform and crossed the road. As he approached the green front door he took a deep breath. He didn't know where to begin, so he's come to the only person that would have a clue.

He raised his hand to knock on the door, but before he could land one blow it swung open, an elderly lady with a friendly smile looking up at him.

"Dear, you've been pacing up and down for nearly ten minutes eyeing my house. I was wondering if you were ever going to scrape the courage together to walk over here," the woman said.

He felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he replied, "I'm sorry ma'am and I'm sorry for the intrusion. Is Captain King here?"

"And who should I say is calling or has all your pacing scrambled your thoughts a bit?" she said, but he could see a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh, uh…yes. Umm… Joe Liebgott ma'am."

She nodded and turned to look over her shoulder. "Jessica darling. There's an American here to see you. His name's Liebgott."

He heard footsteps followed by Jessica's appearance next to the shorter woman. He noticed she wasn't wearing a uniform, instead opting for a dark blue dress and thick black coat. A dark blue knitted scarf wrapped around her neck and black gloves on her hands indicating she was probably on her way out.

"Thank you Jane, I know him. Would you mind telling Nixon I'm waiting outside for him. Hopefully knowing I'm standing in the freezing cold will hurry him up a bit," Jessica said as she took a step outside.

The other woman chuckled as she stepped back inside the house, closing the door behind her so the cold air didn't creep in after her. Obviously Nixon took a hell of a long time to get ready.

Suddenly alone with Jessica he felt the nerves start to creep in again. Stuffing his hands inside his pockets to hide the tremor he was sure was there he said, "Sorry for bothering you at home Captain. I can see you're on your way out, I can come back."

"That's perfectly alright. You're here now so we might as well chat. Besides, I was getting antsy waiting for Captain Nixon to finish up. I swear that man takes longer to get ready than any women I know."

Despite his nerves he smiled. He'd half expected her to slam the door in his face, so the conversation was already going way better than he'd anticipated.

"So, I assume he didn't come here for my stellar company. What can I help you with?"

"I was hoping I could ask you 'bout Arlene?"

"Sure, but why don't you ask Arlene about Arlene?"

 _Because I'm scared shitless when it comes to her_ , he thought.

"Honestly I was hoping you could give me some advice before I talk to her. You being her best friend and all," he replied instead.

Jessica opened up her small black purse and took out a packet of smokes. She offered him one but he shook his head. She shrugged and quickly lit one for herself before closing her purse and turning her full attention back to him. "It's so damn cold out here I need to warm up from the inside. Hopefully it starts to snow soon, then at least the cold is worth it. I do love a white Christmas. So what do you want to know?"

"How do I win her back," he blurted out the thought that had weighed on his mind since he'd woken up to an empty bed.

Jessica sighed as she blew out some smoke and he swore she looked a little sad. He cringed, sure he'd completely embarrassed himself in-font of Arlene's friend and a superior officer.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you Joe. Not just because I think it's utterly adorable that you're here, but mostly because I want Arlene to be happy."

He nodded an waited.

"Now, let me start by stating the obvious. If you repeat anything I'm about to tell you to anyone besides Arlene, I'll hunt you down and kill you. And we both know I'll make good on that promise. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," he replied, a little afraid of the beautiful blonde.

She smiled. "Good! Now, Nixon's gonna be out here soon to take me to dinner, so I'm going to cut to the chase. You didn't lose Arlene so you can't win her back. Yes, she walked out on you and yes your night at the pub was a right royal cock-up, but despite how well she hides them from you, trust me she still had very strong feelings towards you. Although to the honest, they're not always good feelings."

She took a drag from her cigarette and he swore hours passed before she continued speaking. "Now, the first thing you should know is that she'd been put through hell by a man. She'd trusted him, we all had, and in the end he'd completed destroyed her trust and her heart. So if you say something you need to mean it and stick to it. If you lie or act differently depending on which way the wind's blowing you're done. Understood?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Secondly, man the hell up already. You keep staring and not doing anything. It's wonderful that you're here talking to me, but you really should be talking to her. It's not that difficult, this ain't rocket science."

 _She did know how to cut to the chase alright._

"Our role in the war isn't as predictable as many others, so when you have the chance to spend time with her you should, because one day you could wake up and she'll be gone again and this time it won't be to catch a boat for England."

He swallowed hard, the thought of what Jessica was implying make him feel ill.

"Arlene doesn't like Christmas, It brings back bad memories for her. So if you could do something to distract her from this time, replace some of the bad memories with good ones, it would go a long way to smoothing things over."

He nodded, the beginning of a plan starting to form.

The door behind Jessica opened and Captain Nixon stepped out wearing his dress uniform, a thick coat slung over his arm.

Jessica glanced over her shoulder. "Took you long enough. Luckily Joe arrived to keep me company."

Nixon smirked. "Thanks Liebgott, but I'll take it from here."

"Yes, sir," he said to Nixon before turning to Jessica. "Thank you."

"Any time. See you around Joe," she replied as she took the arm Nixon was holding out for her.

He nodded to the two Captains before turning and walking blindly back to his barracks, his mind completely focused on his plan.

Nixon POV 

"What was that about?" he asked as they made their way to the small restaurant in town. With rationing being what it was their choices were limited, but the food was still good and it was nice to have time alone with Jessica. If Richard wasn't going to ask her out, her sure as hell wasn't going to leave her to wait at home until someone else did ask.

"Oh, he came to ask me about Arlene. Honestly, he likes her and she likes him so I don't understand why they're making it so difficult."

"Maybe he's just waiting for the right time."

"Nix, we're in the middle of a war. Not being a pessimist or anything, but the right time is now."

He shared her sentiments, which is why he kept pestering Richard to get off his ass and make a move.

An icy wind cut between their bodies and Jessica pressed herself closer to him. "Thankfully it isn't raining."

He glanced down at her, her face now half covered by her scarf. "What are you going to do in a fight when it's cold and raining?"

She looked up at him. "The same thing I've always done. My damn job while telling the men around me to stop their whining."

He gave her a lopsided smile. She had a bit of a temper and he loved drawing it out. It was their own little game.

"But since I'm not in the middle of a warzone I'm going to act like a damsel and complain about the cold."

"Hey, if it means you staying this close to me you won't hear any complaints from my side."

He felt her smile.

They passed a group of women and he recognised one he'd previously gone on a similar date with, expect then his intentions hadn't been quite as platonic. The woman smiled and waved, but both faltered when she spotted Jessica holding onto him. He smiled and nodded, hoping Jessica hadn't spotted the evil look the woman shot her.

"Have you heard from your wife?" Jessica casually asked.

 _So she saw it._

Jessica didn't bring his wife up often, and she only once said anything about him seeing other woman. She knew his wasn't a happy marriage, but she also didn't see it as a perfect excuse to philander about.

"Not recently. I sent her a gift though. That silk scarf you'd found hidden at the flea market," he replied.

"From what you've told me about her I'm sure she'll love it."

"M'hm," he replied, not as convinced as she was.

"Don't be so cynical Nix."

He didn't reply, he didn't want to spend the next few hours talking about his wife and their strained marriage. Deciding to change the subject he asked, "So you don't have anyone waiting for you back home? Or here?"

She never mentioned anybody, but he still found it difficult to believe she was alone. Not all men were as slow out of the blocks as his friend.

"Well, there's my brother, but other than that no."

"You've never told me you have a brother."

"It hasn't come up I guess."

He shook his head. She was always a little evasive, even when she wasn't trying to be. He'd learned to ask her direct questions. "Is he here on State side?"

"Oh, he's been in England for a few years actually. He's a pilot, and when the war started the RAF asked for any American pilots who were willing to come over and fly with them. Since America wasn't stuck into the fight yet, and my brother isn't the type to wait around, he got himself onto the first ship over. He's been flying with the RAF ever since."

"Shit, you lot couldn't stay away from the fight could you?"

He heard her laugh softly. "Not our style Nix. I'd actually been here a few months before he came over."

"Has he been here and I missed him?"

She shook her head. "No, he hasn't visited me here yet. I saw him in London when we were there and he'll try to come here now during Christmas. We write each other all the time though. Well, when my work allows it."

"What does that mean?" he asked, perplexed by her final statement.

"Oh, it's just sometimes my assignments mean I can't just write to whoever I please. We can't risk the messages being intercepted. But even then I still try to write him and then I'll send the letters when I can."

He'd picked up that some of her work wasn't conventional soldiering, but she never gave any details away, even when he asked her straight-out.

"So besides for your brother there's no one else, 'cause I find that hard to believe?"

"Nix, you know just how to make a girl feel good about herself."

"Thank you. Now stop trying the change the subject."

They crossed the street, the windows of the little restaurant glowing warmly in the cold air.

"I'm not, but I've told you all there is to tell. I don't have some great love, or even mediocre love, waiting for me anywhere. Sure, I haven't lived like a nun, but none of them ever stuck."

He felt a little bad for her, but she didn't sound too bothered and secretly he was relieved because it was one less challenge for Richard to overcome. Although so far Richard had been his own biggest challenge.

 _Until Speirs decides he's done waiting._

They'd reached the restaurant and as he held the door open for her he noticed the envious glances the other soldiers, all officers, sitting inside shot his way.

Sure, some of them had dates, but they weren't Jessica and they certainly didn't have her reputation.

 _Okay, Dick may have more problems soon._

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Hello! Long time no see. I hope everyone had a brilliant weekend! Thanks for the brilliant support and to everyone that's added the story to their alerts, favorites etc. You all rock! Chat soon._


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Arlene POV

Standing by her bedroom window she watched the snowflakes drift down from the clouds. She shivered and pulled the blanket she was already wrapped in closer to her. When she was a child growing up in California she'd dreamt of having a white Christmas. She'd beg her parents to take her to their apartment in New York but her mother had always refused, hating the cold. Arlene was sure it was because it reminded her so much of herself. She loved her mother, but she didn't like her and she was sure the feeling was mutual, even more so after she'd rebelled and enlisted against her parents' wishes.

She turned away from the window, her stiff muscles complaining at every movement. This was her first day off from training in weeks and she found herself torn between staying in bed all day and using her free time for something more productive. She knew Clark would be out, spending time with their neighbour's daughter. A pretty little thing that he seemed quite smitten by, for now at least.

 _The man did fall in and out of love at a break neck pace._

Jessica was available, but that would mean having to get dressed and go outside which she wasn't too keen on either. She'd gotten over her dream of a white Christmas the first time she'd spent one in a foxhole while being shelled, now she hated the cold almost as much as her mother did.

 _Oh God, I'm turning into her,_ she shuddered at the thought.

She faintly heard a knock on the front door. She wasn't sure if she was alone in the house, but when there was another knock and no other movements from outside her door she sighed.

For a second she considered changing into something more respectable than a thick blanket and old pyjamas, but when there was a third knock she decided against it.

 _This had best be good._

Reaching for the door she quickly glanced at herself in a mirror. She was pale and had dark circles under her eyes, but her hair looked pretty damn good for some inexplicable reason so she decided that balanced everything out.

When there was a fourth knock she shouted, "Coming!"

As she opened the door a rush of frigid air made its way between the blanket and her skin. "Jesus, this had best be good soldier," she hissed trying to wrap herself up so the wind would stay out and not looking up from the man's chest.

"I hope this isn't a bad time," the soldier said and she froze.

Her eyes slowly travelled up from his chest to his face before settling on those familiar dark eyes. "Joe?"

He nervously stroked the back of his neck with one hand. "I can come back."

"No-no, ummm…come in," she replied as she took an awkward step to the side so he could squeeze past her.

He moved inside the house, removing his cap as he went, his eyes scanning the interior.

Closing the door behind her she said, "We're alone. The family must be in town and Clark's visiting a friend. Not to be rude, but why are you here?"

He twisted the cape in his hands and cleared his throat. "I've been an ass," he blurted out before continuing without even taking a breath, "I had this whole speech planned but now I can't remember it. I've been an ass and I'm really sorry."

"Oh, umm…alright. It's okay?" she ventured, not sure what to say.

He straightened out and stopped fidgeting with his hands. "No, it isn't. I was an ass and I really am sorry."

She smiled softly having all but forgotten about the cold that still clung to her skin. "I'm sorry too Joe. Some of the things I've said weren't exactly nice and none of them were true. I was just lashing out. One of my less attractive traits."

He smirked and another kind of chill made her hair stand on end. "I don't know. I don't mind a bit of spunk."

She rolled her eyes, but felt the blush start to warm her cheeks. "Apology accepted."

"Good, but I actually didn't come here just to apologise."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, do you wanna do something this afternoon? I checked with one of your new guys and he said because tomorrow's Christmas eve you have a 72-hour pass."

"You don't have plans already?"

"Nah, not if they're not with you."

She smiled and nodded. "Okay then. When should I be ready?"

His face transformed and he seemed to bounce on the balls of his feet. "I'll pick you up at 12:00? And dress warm and comfortable."

She quirked an eyebrow up and was about to ask what he had planned when he said, "Don't ask, it's a surprise."

"Fine," she relented.

An awkward silence started to stretch out between them when he took a step towards her. She looked up, brazenly meeting his dark gaze as he used one finger to brush a strand of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. He paused, his hand now gently resting on the back of her neck.

She felt her pulse quicken and her every nerve scream out to be closer to him. He tilted his face down so their lips were only an inch apart. "I'll see you later," he whispered, his voice deep and rich.

She smirked. _Two can play this game._

Standing in her toes, their lips barely grazing she replied in a hushed voice, "Don't be late."

She felt his muscles tense but she quickly stepped away reaching for the door and holding it open for him.

He shook his head as if to clear it and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'll pick you up at 12:00," he greeted her as he stepped outside.

"See you then," she replied, this time embracing the cold air against her scorched skin.

He nodded and turned away from her, his cheeks just as flushed as hers she couldn't help but smile triumphantly.

Once the door was closed behind her she bounded to her room, no longer dreading the cold she knew she had to visit Jessica immediately.

Jessica POV

"Nix, please get that," she shouted from her seat at the kitchen table.

"Yes Milady," her friend retorted, but she heard him go to the front door anyway to see who was there.

She rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to her brother sitting across from her. David had arrived at her door late last night. Her amazing hosts had immediately invited him in and insisted he stay for a cup of tea so they could get to know him better. She was sure they were going to invite him to sleep on one of their couches, but luckily her brother had the good sense to book himself into one of the small local inns.

She'd hoped to see him over Christmas, but she hadn't bargained on it least she be terribly disappointed.

"Look who I found," Nixon said as he waltzed into the kitchen with Jessica hot on his heels.

"David!" her best friend exclaimed.

Her brother stood and immediately swept Arlene into his arms, twirling her around in the small kitchen, just barely missing a tray full of cups and saucers.

Arlene and David had met during their first year of training. They'd instantly hit it off but instead of a romance flourishing, their relationship took on a brother-sister feel much to her relief. She loved both of them, but if they'd dated then surely a murder would have followed.

"You look so good! That RAF uniform always did do wonders for you," Arlene said when David finally put her down.

"Please, I look good in anything and even better out of everything," David replied.

She groaned and hid her face in her hands. _He's even worse than I am._

She heard Arlene's giggle and Nixon's chuckle. Unsurprisingly, David and Nixon had gotten on like a house on fire.

"Oh, c'mon sis! I've heard you say worse!" David said, ruffling her hair.

Smacking his hand away she replied, "Yes, but when I say it, it's adorable and charming. When you say it….you're my brother, I prefer to imagine you being celibate until your married."

"Shit, sorry to burst your bubble, but that ship sailed a hell of a long time ago."

"Too much information David. Way too much," she said, but couldn't help the smile that pulled at the corner of her mouth.

 _God, I missed him._

David turned his attention and charms back to Arlene and her friend narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't look at me like that gorgeous, you're gonna break my heart."

Arlene's face softened into a lopsided grin which earning her a dazzling smile and a peck on the cheek from David.

"Now," her brother continued, pulling out a chair and taking a seat, "what are our plans?"

"How long can you stay? Last night you said it was up in the air, pun intended."

"Yeah, I said that. Man I'm witty."

She rolled her eyes as Arlene took an open chair and Nixon leaned comfortably against the kitchen counter.

"My squad leader gave me a 72-hour pass with the caveat that he can recall me anytime if I'm needed. So I'm kinda taking it one hour at a time really. You never know with the Krauts, they like their surprise Christmas missions. Bastards."

"Tomorrow night is Christmas eve and Jane asked if we would spend it with them. With both their children in London and unable to make it home I think they miss having people around them, especially this time of year," she replied.

"Great! Tomorrow night here it is then," David said and Nixon nodded, showing he would be joining hm.

"Okay, so tomorrow night is set. How 'bout today we go to the market in town and then head to the pub after?" Nixon suggested.

She briefly glanced at David and Arlene. She could tell David was happy with the plan by the smile on his relaxed face, but she noticed the way Arlene shifted her weight around and asked, "Well?"

Her friend stopped moving and replied, "Actually, I won't be able to join. That's why I came over, to tell you I have a date."

David threw his hands in the air. "What? I thought you came over to see me! I feel so cheated!"

Arlene patted his shoulder. "Oh, I'm sorry darling. Maybe next time."

David smiled up at her and Arlene messed his meticulously styled hair.

With a sigh she said, "Well, now that you two have mended your bridges can we please circle back to the important part, Arlene's date. Who, where, when? Tell me everything."

Her friend looked at the two men, a blush giving her cheeks a rosy glow.

"Don't worry doll. It won't be anything we haven't heard before," Nixon said.

She shrugged and Arlene frowned, but continued, "Joe. He came over this morning, looked nervous as all hell, and asked if I wanted to spend the afternoon with him."

"I see. And you said yes?"

"Of course I said yes, eventually."

"So the two of you have sorted everything out?"

Arlene stamped her one foot and placed her hands on her hips. "I thought you would be happy about this!"

"I am. You know I'm the President of the 'Get Arlene a Man' club. I just want to be sure that you're sure."

Arlene was about to reply when David held up a hand. "Wait, wait, wait. There's a club and my own sister is the President of it? Why aren't we an item?"

"Because big brother. You love women and they love you and your sister is the President of the club."

He scowled at her but his face quickly softened when she playfully shook her head at him.

"To answer your question," Arlene said, happy to bring their conversation back on track, "I'm sure that I want to spend time alone with him and see what could happen."

She eyed her friend for a moment and then nodded. As happy as she was that Joe had taken her advice she couldn't help but worry about her friend at this time of year.

"I was actually hoping I could borrow that thick navy coat of yours? The one with the gold buttons."

She stood, the chair scraping over the tiled floor as she pushed it out. "Let's go. We must get a fabulous outfit together."

"It's a date in the middle of the day," Arlene said.

"I'm living vicariously through you so stop complaining would you?"

Arlene shrugged, but she caught the excited smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"Get comfortable boys, this may take a while," she chimed over her shoulder as she led Arlene upstairs.

Joe POV

He leaned against the jeep, nervously smoking a cigarette as he waited for Arlene. He'd won a poker game against a guy that worked at Battalion HQ. His winnings meant he had the use of a jeep for an entire day, no questions asked.

The front door moved and he straightened out, flicking the cigarette to the ground as his stomach did somersaults into his throat.

When Arlene caught his eye he smiled, all the nerves fading away as all he could see was her. He was relieved to see she'd dressed warmly and comfortably like he'd suggested, anything less would have meant their date ending in frostbite and disaster.

He walked towards her as she approached the jeep. "You look beautiful," he said, certain she'd look beautiful no matter what she wore.

She smiled coyly. "Thank you. I have to be honest, not knowing what you have planned made it a tad tricky to dress. I hope this is fine?"

"It's perfect. C'mon," he said, holding out his arm for her.

She slotted her hand into his arm and he led them the short distance to the jeep. Holding open the door for her he waited until she was securely inside before closing it and quickly jogging to his side.

He looked over to her and found two dark eyes watching him. "You ready?" he asked.

"Are you?" she replied, a mischievous smirk pulling at the one corner of her lips.

"Yes," he lied, certain he wasn't ready for her, that no man would be.

He started the engine and took the road that would lead them out of town, past the church and the Christmas market where people were milling about.

As soon as they were clear of the town limits he sped up. He heard Arlene giggle, but the wind speeding past them quickly carried the sound away. The roar of the engine and the wind made it impossible to talk, so he settled for stealing glances at her. He was relieved and overjoyed to find her doing the same.

About ten minutes outside of town he found the dirt track he'd memorised days earlier. Turning onto it they continued for another few minutes until he killed the engine at the bottom of steep, snow covered hill.

He turned to Arlene who looked between him and the little hill. "Well, that's a nice you hill you got there," she said, clearly confused as to why he'd brought her here.

"Do you remember that night in New York," he started.

She nodded. "Every moment and every word."

He smiled, trying to ignore the thumping of his heart. "You told me you'd never sledded down a snow covered hill."

"I did. You told me the same"

"So I figured we could share this. And that way whenever you think about snow or sledding you'll think of me."

She looked to the snowy slope and the softest smile graced her face. "My parents always said it wasn't the done thing. Then again they didn't approve of a lot of things."

As he waited for her to continue he reached behind his seat and pulled out a small picnic basket. The movement caught her attention and she returned her gaze to him in time to see him pulling out a large, thick red blanket, two metal mugs and a large thermal flask.

"Where did you get all of this?" she asked.

"The woman who runs the laundry showed us some things she was selling for Christmas. The blanket and flask were up for grabs so I bought them."

"When was this?"

"A few weeks ago."

"You've been planning this for a few weeks?"

He busied his hands by spreading out the blanket so it covered them both, suddenly shy. "Kind of, I've been planning something, but it took seeing Bill drape his arm over you the other day to really kick my ass into gear."

"Wow, remind me to thank Bill."

He smirked as held out both mugs to her. She held them out as he screwed the cap off the flask and decanted the steaming chocolate brown liquid into the mugs, making sure to top hers up a bit more.

She bent forward and inhaled the steam rising from the mugs. "Chocolate. Where did you get this with all the rationing?"

He gave her sly smile. "I have my ways."

"Well, I am duly impressed."

He put the flask away and took his mug from her hand, their fingertips grazing wiping out all the cold that surrounded them.

"So," he said, clearing his throat as he tried to regain his cool composure, "if your folks didn't want you to sled down a little hill, how did they feel about you joining the war?"

She smirked. "God only knows, I didn't hang around to find out."

He tilted his head to one side, urging her to continue.

She curled her fingers around the mug and eased back into her seat. "My parents believed in things being done a certain way. They wanted their only daughter to be the perfect picture of high society class and grace. They also believed she should know her place, which was on the arm of a wealthy man with enough influence and money to further their standing."

He raised an eyebrow, unable to imagine her sitting quietly by someone's side like a living doll.

Taking a sip from her cup she smiled around the edges.

"Good?" he asked.

"Perfect," she replied.

"So how did you end up in England?" he asked when it didn't seem like she was going to continue her story.

"Three days before my seventeenth birthday they betrothed me to a thirty-five year old banker with a mean reputation that loved his bourbon a little too much."

"Are you kidding me!?" he exclaimed.

"I wish I was. I shouldn't have heard, they were only going to tell me the night of my birthday, like it was their damn gift to me or something. But I'd snuck out to see a friend and when I got back I'd overheard them talking."

"That was lucky," he said as he placed the mug on the dashboard so he could light two cigarettes.

She gladly took the one he extended to her, giving him a small smile in thanks. "A few days earlier I'd read some of my father's mail that had been marked 'confidential' with a military stamp."

He smirked, of course she would read a letter marked confidential.

Seeing his expression she said, "What? I was curious. Anyway, so the letter was from an old acquaintance that worked high-up in the government as a military liaison. It spelled out the idea the government had of training women to become, well for lack of a better word, spies. The author of the letter thought it was a terrible idea, so terrible in fact he named the person responsible for the operation as well as where to find him."

He took a drag of his cigarette and leaned forward, knowing where the story was going but so enthralled by her telling it that he hung on her every word.

"So when I overheard my parents that night the first thing I felt was sick and my first thought was that letter. I packed a bag, took some money out of the not so secret hiding places my parents had and waited. Two days later I bought a train ticket, found the person responsible for the programme and tried to convince him to enlist me. Since I wasn't eighteen yet he didn't want to enlist me without my parents' consent so he phoned them. I was sure they were going to refuse. Tell him to put me on the next train back so I could get engaged."

"That isn't what happened," he said, the sadness that swept over her features forming a knot in his throat.

She shook her head. "My father wanted me to come home, but my mother refused. She said I'd spent my entire life embarrassing her and this was the last straw. As far she was concerned she no longer had a daughter. She slammed the phone down and that was it. Minutes later I signed the papers and the next day I was on a ship bound for England."

"England?"

"We trained in England and Scotland mostly. A little bit in Europe. They had a more established training programme for the type of work we were going to be doing. I met Jessica on my first day and about a year later the plan changed a bit and the men joined us. And that is it."

He emptied his mug and tossed the cigarette butt out of the open window. "I can't believe your family disowned you. Are they out of their goddamn minds?"

She smirked. "No. I just didn't fit into their picture of a perfect family."

"How can they think you're anything less than perfect," he whispered and when she shyly smiled back at him he knew she'd heard.

Gently taking the mug from her hand he said, "C'mon, we have a memory to make."

Arlene POV

She leaned back into Joe, allowing his arms to wrap around her body as he grasped the sled's rope.

"Does this have to be the last one?" she asked, her eyes closed, forehead resting against his cheek.

She felt him smile as he said, "It has to be baby. It's going to be dark soon."

She wasn't sure when he'd started calling her baby, but she loved it, a shot of excitement running up her spine every time he said it.

"Very well," she conceded with a dramatic sigh, mostly because she knew if she wasn't back by dark Jessica would get all their men to come looking for her.

They'd spent the afternoon climbing up the hill just to slide back down. Often times they'd descend into a fit of laughter half-way up the hill as one of them finished telling a story. At the top Joe would position the sled and she'd sit in the front, her body tucked into his. She loved feeling the heat from his chest and legs through her clothes, the strength of his arms around her as he steered them safely to the bottom. They both avoided discussing why she'd left him in New York or the things he'd said to her in England, they didn't want to spoil the perfect memory they were creating.

"Ready?" he whispered in her ear, his warm breath caressing her sensitive skin.

All she could do was nod, no trusting her voice not to betray her.

One moment she felt him shift their weight and the next the icy cold wind swept past them, biting into her cheeks as the snow crunched underneath.

A high pitched giggle spilled from between her lips. She felt Joe's chest reverberate through her back and into her chest.

They hit the bottom of the hill hard and the sled bumped up and down a few times before it swerved from left to right. Her eyes flung open just in time to see the sky flip upside down as she landed flat on her back, her limbs entangled with Joe's as he lay partially on top of her. There was a beat of silence before they both broke into uncontrollable laughter. She was still laughing when she realised it was quiet around them. Slowly her laughter subsided as her eyes drifted to Joe's. He was watching her intently, a small frown etched into his forehead as he tilted his head slightly to one side.

He reached over and brushed the hair that had come undone during the fall out of her face, his fingers tracing the line of her cheek as they went. She didn't feel the cold ground beneath her or the snow melting into her clothes, all her senses were consumed by Joe. The way his body felt on top of hers, protective and dangerous at the same time, his warm breath burning her skin as his dark eyes pulled her closer.

He dipped his head down, his breath tickling her lips as he held theirs a fraction apart.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

He closed the space between their lips as they met in a gentle kiss. She dug her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer to her. He traced the edge of her lips with his tongue for a moment before deepening the kiss. She could feel the blood racing through her veins, pulsing from her heart to every inch of her being as it screamed to be closer to him.

All of a sudden the only thing on her lips was the cold winter air. Her eyes snapped open to find Joe still there, his cheeks flushed as he stared down at her.

She could feel herself frowning. Was something wrong, had she done something wrong?

"You don't deserve this," he said, sounding out of breath.

"What?" she asked, a familiar dread settling over her.

"You deserve better than this Arlene. I mean, God knows I've spent hours dreaming of this exact moment, and it's taking every ounce of my self-control not to keep kissing you until you scream my name at the top of your lungs, but you deserve better than this."

"I – what are you trying to say Joe?"

"You deserve better and I want to try and be the guy to give you that. I'm not very good at it, and I'll probably mess it up, but I want to try. Will you give me a chance to try?"

His face, usually hard and smug, was soft, shy and uncertain. She reached up and ran her hand through his hair, pushing the tips away from his forehead. "You should give it your best shot."

He smiled, not a smirk but a genuine smile. "Yes ma'am," he husked as he bent down for another long kiss.

Arlene POV

As they stopped outside her billet she sighed, deflated by the end of their magical day together. Joe must have heard her, or sensed the change in her mood because he took her hand, giving it a gentle tug so she would look at him.

"I know you probably have other plans for tonight, but in case you don't, I was hoping you'd join me for dinner?" he asked, a shy glimmer to his dark eyes.

She felt her lips curve up as she replied, "Pick me up at 19:00. Don't be late."

Pulling her towards him he whispered, "I wouldn't dream of it," before kissing her gently.

With one hand braced against his chest she pushed herself away from him, knowing she had to leave now before she did something that would make her the talk of the town. She quickly grabbed her purse and jumped out of the jeep as she felt her self-restraint ebb away with every passing second.

"See you soon soldier," she said with a flirty wink before turning on her heel and walking to the door. She never looked back, but she knew he was watching her and she loved every moment of it. It was only as she reached her door that she heard an engine start seconds before the jeep pulled away.

She was so engrossed in her own thoughts, daydreaming about her night with Joe, that it took her ages to find her keys. Just as she found them she heard snow crunch underneath a boot right behind her. Quickly spinning around to face the newcomer she lost her balance on the icy flagstones, but two strong hands shot out, steadying her.

"Careful gorgeous, we can't have you falling and hurting that beautiful face of yours," David teased.

Still regaining her balance and dignity she exclaimed, "Shit David! Don't sneak up on people like that!"

"I really wasn't doing much sneaking. You were just dreaming about lover boy."

She slapped his chest, but a smile betrayed her anyway. Happy that she was finally stable David let go of her and took a small step closer to her, so their bodies were almost touching.

She raised an eyebrow and he shrugged. "The bloody snow is falling into the back of my collar and you're hogging the roof."

She rolled her eyes, stepping back a little bit so he could get more cover.

"I'm assuming you're here for a reason," she said, anxious to get inside so she could start to get ready for her night with Joe.

"Yeah, we never made it to the pub this afternoon. Jess and I got a bit side tracked drinking a whiskey by the fire at her place so we're going tonight. She's getting changed so she asked me to come by and see if you're back from your date and wanted to join us."

"Oh, thanks but tell Jess I'll have to pass this time."

He smiled mischievously at her. "Well, it either went very well today or very badly. Considering the sparkle in your eyes I'm going to bet on very well."

Dipping her face she felt the blush warm her cheeks, hoping he couldn't tell just how well it had gone.

David laughed, a deep melodic sound that forced you to join in. He and Jess had that in common, when they laughed you just had to join in.

"He's picking me up in a few. Tell Jess I'll give her all the details tomorrow. I'll pop by a bit early so we can catch up before dinner."

"You better take notes because she's going to want to know every single detail."

"I know, she's like a Bloodhound when she gets wind of a good story."

"That's an understatement. But since I caught you, she also asked me to get her red scarf from you. I'm assuming you know the one she's referring to."

"I do. Come in while I get it, don't want you catching a cold and then wining about it all day tomorrow."

As she turned around to open the door he moved in closer to her, impatient to get out of the cold.

 _Patience is not a King family strong suit._

The door clicked open and she led them in, smiling over her shoulder at the miserable expression on his face as a gust of wind drove snow into his back.

"God, you're such a baby," she said, stepping inside before closing the door firmly behind them.

Joe POV

"Shit," he hissed to himself, noticing the emerald green scarf lying on the floor of jeep at the passenger's side.

He debated for a while keeping it and giving it to Arlene that evening, but honestly he wanted any excuse to see her again so he made a sharp U-turn, tires squealing in protest, and rushed back to her house.

Rounding the last corner he spotted her house but took his foot off the gas when he saw her huddled underneath the roof covering the entrance with a tall, broad shouldered RAF pilot.

"What the fuck?"

He slowly creeped closer until he was only one house down from hers. His stomach sank as rage boiled up in his chest, warming him from the inside as she watched her open the door for him, the man pressing himself in close to her and she playfully laughing at him over her shoulder.

Before he could say or do anything they'd disappeared inside the house, the door closing behind them sounding like a bomb going off inside his brain.

Starting the engine back up he revved it aggressively. He wasn't going to sit around to see the smug bastard walking out of her door. They'd never talked about why she'd left him alone in New York. He'd made up a thousand reasons but never was it because she had someone else in her life already. Apparently he'd missed the obvious.

With a screech of tires he sped off towards the barracks.

 _Fuck her,_ he thought darkly, the freezing wind turning a lone tear to ice on his cheek.

XXXXXXX

 _Hello (she says shyly, hiding her face behind her hands)...I know it's been damn long, and I promise I never forgot about the story. We moved so all my energy was focused on packing and unpacking. Anywho, we're busy settling in so hopefully I'll be able to post a bit more regularly. This chapter was originally almost twice as long, but I've decided to split it into two "shorter" chapters, this way there also isn't such a long lag between chapters. Hope you all enjoy it and keep reading._


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 11**

Jessica POV

Their local pub was warm, a lazy haze of smoke hanging in the air and the soft hum of friendly conversations providing the perfect background music.

The pub was comfortably full, all the tables were occupied and a few people were leaning against the bar but there wasn't the usual press of bodies that made you feel a little bit claustrophobic.

She and David had joined Clark, Alex, Nixon, Richard, Harry, Buck, Ron and Meehan for a few drinks. She'd hoped Arlene would be able to join them, but of course when she'd heard why she couldn't she'd clapped her hands and jumped up and down, much to David and Clark's amusement.

There was one other table of Easy men huddled together in the furthest corner of the bar. She'd waved to them when they'd arrived, catching Luz's eye he'd tilted his glass in her direction. She'd mentally planned to pop over to their table a bit later, see how they were doing being away from home this time of year.

"So David, you're in the RAF. What, our own pilots not good enough for you?" Buck asked between drags of his cigarette.

"Nah, our guys are great. We just took to damn long to join the fight. And I couldn't very well stay at home knowing my little sister was over here, gallivanting in Europe."

She shot him a sideways look. "Oh yes, gallivanting is exactly what I'd call it."

He just shrugged.

"Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me Jess here was deployed before you were?" Harry asked from his seat on the furthest end of the table.

"Well, I wouldn't call it deployed in the traditional sense. From what I understand they weren't working with a formal military organisation yet at that stage. Right?" David asked, looking to her then to Alex and Clark.

She glanced at the two men, Clark at on her right and Alex sitting across from David. They both gave her a small nod, happy to let her fill in the blanks. Well, those she was allowed to fill in.

"A lot of what we did involved working closely with local resistance movements. First in Holland and then in France mostly. Right when everything started, that was where we spent most of our time," she elaborated.

She'd been looking at Harry, answering his question, but from the corner of her eye she noticed Richard shift in his seat, leaning slightly forward when she spoke. He was sitting directly opposite her, so she turned her head to face him, waiting to see if he had a follow up question.

Richard seemed about to say something when Ron asked, "You've only worked in Europe then?"

Looking away from Richard to where Ron was casually leaning back in his stolen chair, cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other she replied, " None of us would exactly blend in in Japan."

He nodded and took a long drag of his cigarette, his deep brown eyes daring her to look away first.

"At least you two get to see each other since you're both in Europe," Richard's deep voice pulled her eyes away from Ron so they would stare into his crystal blue eyes.

"Not as much as we'd like, but more than most siblings get I suppose," she answered.

 _God, must both these men have such gorgeous eyes? Why can't they be dull and boring,_ she thought, acutely aware of her pulse picking up speed with every passing minute in their company.

"Yeah, we've only ever seen each other twice when one of us was on active duty," David added, saving her from Richard's blue eyes as she turned her attention to her brother.

"Twice? Really?" Clark asked, and she could see him trying to do the math in his head.

She decided to put him out of his misery and said, "Yip, the airfield and the docks."

"Those sound like hell'a good stories if you ask me," Buck said, downing his beer and gesturing to the barman to bring them another round.

"Ummm…not really," she replied casually, but before she could say anything more David and Alex exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?"

"Wow boys, calm down. Fine, the airfield story is kind of fantastic."

"Oh, well now you have to tell us. And spare no details," Nixon said.

Looking around the table of men she could see they were all eager to hear the story, even those that had heard it before. Catching Ron's eye she saw him shift in his chair so he'd be able to hear her better, even though he tried to hide the move by casually lighting another cigarette.

"Very well. If you insist," she said with a dramatic flick of her hair over her shoulder.

"A few of us had to attend some fancy gala in London two nights before we were set to deploy for Europe again. David had recently arrived in England and I hadn't had a chance to see him yet, so when I was told in no uncertain terms that I had to attend the silly function I was less than pleased to say the least."

From the corner of her eye she saw David light two cigarettes and without saying anything she held out her hand as he placed on between her fingers. Shooting him a wink she took a drag before continuing. "Anyway, the whole night Arlene and I have to suffer through this old, sweaty man trying to grope us whenever his blonde mistress wasn't looking, while fake laughing our heads off at the politicians wives' terrible jokes. By the end of it I'd had enough and Arlene was five seconds away from snapping, so when we walked outside and found a beautiful Buick with the sweaty old man's initials for a license plate waiting for us, we did the only logical thing. We borrowed it."

The table chuckled, some of the men affectionately shaking their heads, not expecting anything less from the two of them.

David leaned forward, cigarette in one hand as he picked up where she'd left off. "Yeah, so there I was, drinking my early morning tea because the Brits refused to make coffee, when I hear one hell of a commotion go up outside the mess. I walk outside just in time to see two gorgeous women in ball gowns climb out of this beauty of a car. I'm still trying to figure out if I'd lost my marbles and was seeing things, when they both walked up to me and threw themselves into my arms."

She looked sideways at her brother. "We gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek."

He shrugged, clearly sticking to his version of events. "Whatever, after that I got coffee for breakfast every damn day."

"Now that is one hell of a story," Harry remarked as he placed his empty beer glass down on the table.

"Oh, that ain't even the best part," David said with a smirk.

"You're kidding me? Fuck, why am I not surprised when you're involved Jess," Nixon said.

She stuck out her tongue at him and he wiggled his bushy eyebrows at her, it was a little childish game they'd started to play early on in their arrival in England.

Buck, clearing his throat and looking at her expectantly finally made her give up the game. "So we end up losing track of time and when we finally realise how long we'd been there, there wasn't a snowflake's chance in hell of us making it to the airfield in time for our jump."

Richard held up a hand. "Wait, wait. Jump?"

"Yip, we were jumping back into Europe," she said casually as if it was the most normal thing in the world for two women to do.

"So, we weren't going to get there in time by road or rail, but plane, now that could work. We challenged some of the boys to a game of poker. One hand, winner takes all. If they win, they get to keep the car, if we win, they lend us a plane. Only a two seater, not a bomber or anything, we didn't want to be greedy."

"No, you wouldn't want that," Ron remarked.

She glanced over to see him casually leaning back against his chair, but the intensity in his eyes gave him away. She playfully narrowed her eyes at him, a smirk on her lips before going on with her story. "Anyway, long story short I beat them all spectacularly and they gave us a plane and two flight suits."

"Yeah, because her big brother had taught her how to play to win," David chimed in, placing a proud kiss on her cheek.

"Sure as hell did," she replied, messing up his hair before saying, "Arlene flew us out and we landed with time to spare at the other airfield."

"Also causing a bit of a stir I should add," Clark added his two cents.

"You expect nothing less from us."

"So what happened to the car?" Buck asked.

"Oh, well we sent an anonymous telegram to the sweaty man's secretary saying the RAF had found his car ditched by the wayside. The man was so grateful to them for reporting it he sent their base a few cases of beer and cartons of smokes. So everybody won!"

"Shit, now that's a story. So Arlene can fly huh?" Nixon asked before he downed the last bit of his drink.

Clark answered before she could. "We all can. You never know when you need to get yourself out of a jam, but Arlene and Alex are the best."

"So what was the second time?" Harry asked.

"Huh?" she replied, the three strong drinks she'd already had slowing her brain down a fraction.

"You said you've only ever seen each other twice when you weren't both on leave. What was the other time?" he clarified.

Her heart sank a little and she placed her almost empty glass down on the table. "Oh, well….that was a very different story."

"How? You steal a German submarine or something?" Nixon chimed in, oblivious to the change in her mood.

She glanced to David, Clark and Alex, all three men giving her their silent approval and support to tell the story.

Taking a deep breath as she kept her eyes firmly fixed on the table top, studying every vain and old stain she began. "No, not quite. Right at the start of the war our unit was been attached to the British Expeditioner Force in Europe, to act as a special operation unit of sorts. Everybody thought this war would be similar to the last, soldiers digging into trenches and staying there for months, if not years, on end. So when the Germans launched their attack we were caught off guard."

She stopped, using the pause to keep her emotions in check. "We kept fighting and falling back until about three hundred and something odd thousand soldiers ended up on the beach of Dunkirk."

She looked up to Ron, and he was no longer sitting back in his chair, the cocky grin that had been there all night was also gone, replaced with something she couldn't place. As quickly as she'd looked up she returned her attention to the table. "The Germans could have easily killed most of us and captured the rest, but they'd been given an order to halt, I guess to shore up their gains, which ended up giving us just enough time to escape and get back to England. Well, that and the French units who held the line, holding the German advance so the evacuation could take place. It took days for the beach to be evacuated, and we were some of the last to leave because the British company we'd been attached to was one of the last to leave."

She instinctively looked to David and he continued where she'd left off, his voice sombre. "I was already in England and my squadron had been assigned to provide air support to the troops on the beach. That mostly meant dogfights with the Germans who were strafing our boys and trying to stop their bombers from destroying the ships sent to save them. We were green and out gunned, but goddamnit we weren't going to stop fighting until they told us to."

She looked away from her brother and right into Richards intense gaze, his blue eyes shining hot. She held his gaze, unable to look away as David continued, "The thing is, I didn't officially know where Jess was, but I knew my sister would be in the middle of a fight, so she had to be on that damn beach. When the order finally came for us to stand down I knew the last boats that were making it in would be nearing the docks, so I hitched a ride and got myself down there."

He trailed off, running his finger across the rim of his beer glass. "Arlene was the first one I saw, she was alone, helping a medic and she didn't know where anyone else was. I kept looking, running like a man possessed from ship to med tent, every time I saw a head of blonde hair my heart would sink. Then finally, sitting curled up on the deck of an old fishing boat I found Jess. She was soaking wet, shaking like a leaf with blood and water mixing to form a little pool around her body."

"Blood?" Ron asked, his gravelly voice pulling her eyes away from Richard's.

"It wasn't all mine," she answered, but unable to look at him she leaned back in her chair, looking at a spot on the back wall.

"On the swim to the ship Germans strafed the water. I was with Alex and Gabriel, you never met him, having lost everyone else when we got into the water. We dove, hoping for God knows what I don't know. The bullet that hit me in my side had already passed clean through Gabriel's chest, so it didn't have enough speed to go very far and I was so cold and filled with adrenaline I didn't feel anything at the time. Alex and another soldier were able to get Gabriel onto the deck, but honestly I don't think he ever knew. I rested his head in my lap, so when David found me some of the blood was mine, but most belonged to Gabriel."

She felt a familiar hand press into her back, the pressure providing a support she desperately needed. "You know, I can still see you, sitting there on that boat. Fucking living nightmare for me every time," she heard David say, but all the could muster was a small smile.

"Shit," Harry said, his face having lost half of its colour.

She smirked darkly. "That was the prevailing sentiment, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse."

The men that had been there, survived it, nodded their heads.

With a deep breath she put on a fake smile, knowing that in time it would become genuine again. "I think that's enough depressing stories for one night. How 'bout another round, my treat?"

"I'll help you," Richards said as she got up.

She gave him a soft smile, this one heartfelt.

As they approached the bar the older gentleman working behind it caught her eye, glanced behind them to their table and started to busy himself getting another round ready for them.

 _We either drink too much or come here far too often._

Waiting for their drinks she leaned against the bar and turned her attention to Richard. She rarely got to spend time alone with him, it seemed one of them was always in the company of someone else when their paths crossed.

"I'm sorry," he said, a sadness clouding his blue eyes.

"For what?"

"For, I don't know, just that, that happened to you," he stammered, running his fingers through his rich red hair.

"Worse things have happened to people. And, I don't know. You live through it, you'll see. It becomes this memory you lock away to deal with later."

"How many memories have you had locked away?"

"Too many."

He clenched his jaw, his mouth set into a hard line.

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to say what was on his mind.

With a sigh his features relaxed. "I wish I didn't have to put you and imminent danger into the same thought."

She felt the smile on the corner of her lips. "I feel the same way about you Richard. But don't worry too much about me, I'm difficult to kill."

He shot her a flat stare and she in return gave him a cheeky smile.

Suddenly his expression changed as a blush crept into his cheeks. "Umm…."

"Yes?" she asked, curious what had caused him to suddenly become shy.

"I was hoping to take you to the New Year's eve dance being held in town. I mean, if you don't already have a date, which I'm sure you do."

She pushed herself off the bar so their bodies were closer together. "No, no date. Until now that is. I'd love to go with you."

His face split into a huge smile and he looked so pleased she couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up her chest.

"Here you go," the barman said, putting the final drinks down behind her.

Turning away from her companion she placed her money on the counter. "Thanks, keep the change."

The man wiped the money from the table as he gave her a friendly nod.

Just as she was about to take a few glasses a familiar, yet unexpected, face caught her eye as the soldier entered the bar, scanning the room for his friends.

"I'll meet you at the table," she said.

Richard followed her line of sight and gave her a quizzical look but didn't say anything, just giving her a nod.

"Joe?" she called him, making sure to stand in the middle of his path so he couldn't avoid her.

He tried to brush past her, but she fixed him with a look that had frozen more men to their spots than she could count. "I'd stop if I were you, before I make a scene."

He stopped, but only half turned to her, his arms crossed defensively over his chest.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be with Arlene."

He snarled, the anger rolling off of him in waves immediately triggering her fight or flight instincts. Which in her case meant fight each time.

"Oh, she had enough company. Three's a crowd so I decided to give it a skip."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"C'mon, drop the act. I saw her taking that pilot inside the house."

 _You got to be kidding me,_ she groaned internally.

Tilting her head in her brother's direction she asked, "You mean that pilot?"

He looked where she'd indicated and a deep frown set into his forehead.

"That's my brother. I'd sent him to ask Arlene to join us tonight and fetch my scarf. They've known each other for years."

Joe's jaw slackened and his brown eyes doubled in size. "Shit," he said under his breath.

She plastered a deadly smile on her face so as not to attract more attention from the room full of soldiers. "Oh, that does not even begin to cover it. Now, I warned you about hurting her so the only reason you're still breathing is because killing you here would constitute murder."

"I – I didn't know," he stammered, palms facing up as if pleading with her.

"No, you assumed. Which says a hell of a lot about what you think of Arlene's character."

"I," he started to say but she cut him off with one finger held in the air. "Save it for someone who cares, but that isn't me and it sure as hell won't be Arlene."

She fixed him with a cold stare before pushing past him, done with the conversation and with him.

Grabbing their drink on the way to the table she dropped them off with the men, putting her glass in-front of Nixon. "Sorry boys, I'm going to have to love and leave you."

"Everything okay?" Richards asked, his eyes darting behind her to where the Easy table was.

"Arlene's sick. I need to go check up on her."

"I'll walk you," David offered, already standing up.

She waved him off, Arlene wouldn't want him there and if he knew what happened it wouldn't be long before someone really did kill Joe. "That isn't necessary."

He grabbed his jacket, completely ignoring her. "It's going to happen so accept it. I'll drop you off and come back."

"Fine, I know a lost battle when I see one."

She turned to the rest of the table. "Merry Christmas gentlemen."

XXXXXXX

 _Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Thank you so very much to everyone that came back to the story after my absence. I hope you all had a good week and a wonderful weekend ahead._


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 12**

Jessica POV

26 December

"Jane, I'm home," she called as she closed the front door behind her.

She'd walked her brother to the train station, sad to see him go but relieved she'd finally be able to get some well-deserved rest before there training started again, or worse the SOE came calling. The last few days had been a social whirlwind.

On the night she'd confronted Joe she'd half-expected to find Arlene sitting on her bed, crying. Instead her friend was calmly sitting at the kitchen table in a canary yellow dress, the colour bringing out her skin's natural tan, all her guns spread out in-front of her as she meticulously cleaned each one.

"Planning on taking on Hitler all by yourself?" she'd asked, leaning against the doorframe as she'd watched Arlene work.

Without looking up Arlene had replied, "I assume you know what happened?"

She'd nodded even though Arlene couldn't see her. "He arrived at the pub. He'd seen you with David and jumped to a conclusion."

Her friend had slowly placed the pistol down she'd been working on and looked up to her, her dark eyes as hard as granite. "There's a good bottle of whiskey in the top right cupboard. Pour us two glasses."

So she'd poured two glasses and they'd spent the rest of the night cleaning Arlene's guns, sharpening her knives, drinking whiskey and barely mentioning Joe.

The few days that followed were filled with family, biological and chosen, and friends. Arlene never mentioned Joe or acted like she'd had her heart broken. But that was her way, when she'd really been hurt, she'd simply move those feeling aside and put all her energy into anything else. It worked, until there was nothing else left to put her energy in to.

"Dear," Jane called from the kitchen, pulling her back to the present, "a handsome officer left a gift for you. I put it in your room."

"Oh, thank you," she replied already half way up the stairs.

Entering her room her eyes immediately found the parcel wrapped in brown paper gently placed on her bed. She walked over to the parcel and lifted it in her hands, her fingers tracing her name written in the unfamiliar handwriting on the front.

Never being the patient kind when it came to gifts she didn't bother carefully unwrapping it, instead making quick work of tearing the brown paper apart to find a plain wooden box underneath.

Sliding the wooden lid open she came face-to-face with a neatly folded piece of white paper. She lifted it out with one hand and while holding the box in the other she flipped it open.

 _Jessica,_

 _I know this is a few days late, but I had to find the right one._

 _When I saw this it reminded me of you, which is one of the oddest things I've ever written down. I'm sure you're very attached to your current one, but hopefully you'll keep this one just as close._

 _Ron_

She dropped the paper on her bed before she pushed aside the white tissue paper covering her gift.

She smiled and rolled her eyes, nestled between a few sheets of white tissue paper was a brand new switch blade. She took it out of the box, dropping the latter next to the letter, and flicked the blade open before turning the knife around in her hand.

It was slightly bigger than her old one, but the handle still fit perfectly inside her fist. The knife was expertly weighted and the grip was rough so it wouldn't slide out of her hand if it got wet. Turning the blade around and around she saw a delicate engraving near the hilt. Turning it so the sun filtering through her curtain would catch the words she read them out loud.

"To the most fascinating woman I've ever met."

She smiled and rolled her eyes.

Arlene POV

31 December

Sitting on top of Jessica's bed she watched her friend rifle through her limited closet for the tenth time as she tried to decide what to wear to the dance that night.

Her decision had been decidedly easier, but then again she didn't have two men to impress.

"So, you're going to the dance with Richard, but Ron gave you a pretty amazing Christmas present, and you like both of them. Just so I have all my facts straight," she said.

Jessica turned away from the closet and flopped down dramatically onto the wooden floor. "It sounds like a bad teenage novel or something."

"I don't think the boys gave the girls knives as presents in those."

"True. It is a pretty perfect gift though."

She picked up the knife from the bed and played with it. It was a thing of beauty. "Funny," she started, "we think knives and guns are beautiful."

"Knives, guns and dresses. We have multiple interests."

Jessica paused and looked intently at her. She knew her friend was waiting for her to finally open up about Joe, but she was still happily ignoring her feelings, and Jessica's love triangle was proving the perfect distraction.

"So, if you had to choose, which one would it be?" she asked.

Jessica sighed. "God knows. It would help if one of them was terribly ugly or an absolute monster. Damn them!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry two handsome, smart, good men are after you. Poor baby."

Jessica threw a discarded panty at her. "Shut up."

They both laughed, the carefree kind they didn't get to indulge in very often.

"Well, at least you have an entire day to decide what you want to wear. Although at this rate that may not be enough time," she teased, smirking at the chaos in the room.

Just as Jessica opened her mouth to retort they heard a sharp knock on the door, followed by Jane's quick footsteps.

"Jessica, Arlene. Someone's here for you," Jane called up.

They eyed each other. Jane knew all their men by now since they made a habit out of dropping by regularly. Not that the older woman complained, she loved the fact that her home had become their little hangout.

Standing up from the bed she said, "I'll get it. You have enough to deal with here."

She quickly bounced out the room and down the stairs, but as she hit the bottom and saw who was waiting she froze in place, all her innocent humour from seconds before disappearing like mist before the sun.

She didn't know the two men waiting for her in the doorway, but she recognised the way they carried themselves and the suits they wore. The one was a few years older than the other, or looked it at least with his fast retreating hairline and slightly rounder stomach. The younger one had a sharp jaw and small narrow set eyes, but his smile when he spotted her was friendly.

"Thank you Jane," she said, composing herself and walking towards the open door.

Jane smiled warmly at her and scurried back to the kitchen where she was entertaining two of her own girlfriends over a pot or three of tea.

The younger man started to say something when she held up a hand. "Not in here. Outside."

They moved back so she could step outside and close the door behind them. "Okay."

Starting again the younger looking man said, "I'm Agent McAllister and this is Agent Hendricks."

She looked from the one man to the other, sizing them up as she replied, "I'm Lieutenant Walker, but you already know that."

"Yes ma'am," Hendricks replied, his eyes nervously jumping from her face to the house behind her and back again.

 _Clearly not a field agent then._

"And is it safe to assume you know who we are and why we're here?" McAllister asked as he casually lit a cigarette without offering her one.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The good ones never tried that hard. "SOE and I assume you're here to take us to the base where we'll be setting off from. You're early though. We were told the assignment wouldn't start until the new year."

McAllister shrugged but Hendricks replied, "We know, but things on the ground have changed."

Her stomach tightened into a familiar fist. "What things?"

"We're not at liberty to say," McAllister replied, the expression on his face giving the impression he loved being able to say those words.

"Listen here. Clearly he isn't a field agent," she glanced at Hendricks, "and you're either brand new or terrible because you are trying far too hard to look impressive. So, you either tell me right now what's going on, or you can go back to whomever sent you, and tell them to send someone that matters."

Hendricks shifted uncomfortably and McAllister nearly choked on his own cigarette smoke.

Impatiently tapping her one foot she asked, "Well?"

The two men looked at each other and nodded.

Taking a deep breath Hendricks finally answered her question. "We lost three agents in the region in the last few days. Your mission had to be pulled up. You'll receive a full briefing when we get to the secure sight. Without people on the ground the Allied troops will be invading Europe blind, you need to go now."

She looked at them, studying each man carefully as she weighed up their words.

 _Well, at least Jess doesn't have to decide what to wear anymore._

"Come back in two hours. We'll be ready to leave."

"Ma'am-," McAllister started to object but she ignored him.

"We're not leaving our men in the dark and we need time to pack. Two hours gentlemen. The sooner you leave the sooner we'll be ready."

They nodded and left, neither one arguing with her any further.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling hard she turned around and went inside. Time to go to war again.

Jessica POV

Dressed in her finest she strode purposefully to the officers' mess where she knew she'd find Clark, Alex and John and hoped to find Richard and Nixon. She'd already packed up her room and greeted Jane and Harry, an emotional affair that left her tired and feeling a bit frayed at the ends.

Arlene had volunteered to find their newest recruits if she found the other officers. She suspected the reason was that their men had taken to spending their free time with Easy and she wanted to see them, and Joe, one last time before they moved out.

She knew she was getting close to the officers' mess when more and more soldiers appeared. Most of them had become accustomed to the novelty of having the two female soldiers around, at least to the point where they knew how to hide their gawking.

"Captain Clark?" she asked a very young Lieutenant who was leaning against the door of the mess.

The man straightened out and saluted her, an action she quickly returned without having to think about it.

"He's inside ma'am," the man answered politely.

"Thank you soldier. As you were," she said as she brushed past him.

The sound of her high heeled shoes on the wooden floorboards drew some looks from the men gathered inside, but she ignored them, scanning the faces for those she knew. She spotted Alex first. His head was bent down as he intently studied the cards in his hands, but he must have sensed someone approaching because he glanced up. He smiled in greeting, but the moment his brain registered that she was wearing her dress uniform the smile faded and a frown took its place.

He said something to the man sitting next to him, who she could now see was Clark, and suddenly the entire table turned to look at her.

She quirked her head in the direction of an empty table and Clark got up, reaching the table just as she did.

"SOE?" he asked, the tone of his voice suggesting he already knew the answer but desperately wanted to be wrong.

"They arrived a while ago. We're meeting them in thirty minutes to move out."

He ran his hand through his messy hair, his eyes quickly darting to the table watching their every move.

"You're hair's getting long. You'll need to cut it soon," she said, hoping to lighten the mood.

He dropped his hand from his hair and looked back to her. "They're early. That can't be good."

"They've lost more agents that they'd anticipated. I suspect their struggling to maintain contact with the local resistance movement because of it. And if the invasion of Europe is going to be a success," she said, trailing off at the end, the rest was pretty obvious.

"Neither one of you are SOE, you can pull out of the assignment."

She gave her friend a lopsided smile and he frowned, knowing her answer without her having to say it out loud. It was after all the same one he'd give her if the roles were reversed.

"We'll use our usual protocols to get messages to you. We still have the radio correct?" she asked.

He nodded. "Tucked away safely in my room."

"Good. Don't expect much, but we'll do our best. And you can call on your British Intelligence contacts as well."

"They do owe me. A lot. Arlene went to tell the other men?"

"M'hm. We're meeting at my billet."

He reached for her hand and gently held a few of her fingertips in his. "Be careful. Both of you. And find us the first chance you get."

"Take care of yourself and the boys. We'll meet you over there."

He clenched his jaw as they shared a loaded look, each one trying to commit the other one to memory just in case this was the last time they saw them.

Clark let go of her fingers and waved Alex and John over. The two men were already standing, having dropped their cards face up on the table the moment they'd realised what was happening.

As they approached she glanced behind them and saw Richard, Nixon and Harry staring intently at them. For a second she wondered where Ron was, but quickly pushed the thought aside.

"So it's time, huh?" Alex asked drawing her attention away from the three Easy men.

"It's time."

"Happy fucking New Years," John remarked dryly, his young features hard.

"You two take care of the new recruits. Train them harder than before."

The anger drained from John's face as he said, "Jess, we'll be fine. You and Arlene need to watch out for each other. You gotta be there waiting for us."

She smiled softly at her friend, her brother. "We'll be there. Don't you worry about us."

He nodded. She knew he wanted to hug her, she sure as hell wanted to hug all of them, but they were already causing enough of a scene.

"Can we see Arlene?" Alex asked.

"She went to the new recruits, but we're meeting at my house in a few minutes. You can catch her there before the SOE arrive if you hurry."

Alex slapped John's shoulder and they quickly walked for the door, their card game all but forgotten.

As she watched them leave she asked, "You're not going with them?"

"I'm walking you home. I'll see her then."

She looked back to her friend. "Will you let David know? Not the details of course, just what we'd agreed."

"Of course."

She glanced towards the table of Easy officers, her heart sinking even further.

"Who do you want to talk to?" Clark asked, following her line of sight.

"Nix and Richard. I adore Harry but," she started when Clark interrupted her. "But you shared a house with Nixon and you were going on a date with Richard."

"Yip."

"I'll go call them."

Just as Clark started to leave she grabbed his arm to stop him. "Tell Speirs as well. Our agreed story."

Clark's eyebrows knitted together for a second but he nodded and she knew he'd do as she'd asked. She watched as he said something to Nixon and Richard before both men made their way over to her a little reluctantly.

 _Well, this isn't melodramatic at all. Way to play it down team._

"Hey boys, what's got you two looking so glum?" she asked in her cheeriest voice.

"Well, they all look like their sweethearts just sent them Dear John letters so this can't be good news," Nixon retorted.

"Oh, you know how dramatic those three can be. They're just going to miss us that's all."

"Miss you? So you are leaving," Richard said, his blue eyes boring holes into her.

 _Stick to the story. Stay strong, don't look into his blue eyes for too long._

"Arlene and I've been temporarily assigned to help British Intelligence. We're going to be stationed at an undisclosed location while we help them work through all the intelligence they're receiving from Europe."

Nixon raised an eyebrow at her. He didn't believe her story, but he had no way of proving she was lying.

"I've told Harry and Jane I'll be gone for a while and I wanted to say goodbye to the super annoying brother I never asked for," she said, playfully punching Nixon's arm.

Nixon narrowed his eyes, but the upturned corners of his mouth gave him away. "Oh, ha-ha, you're real funny. And just so we're clear, I don't believe a word of your story, but I'm going to pretend I do."

She gave her friend a lopsided smile. She was going to miss him. "I'll see you round Nix. Now take care of yourself while I'm away."

Her friend reached for her as he stepped forward, pulling her into an embrace. "I'm an Intelligence Officer doll, I'm gonna find out what's going on here. So you stay safe," he whispered into her ear.

He held onto her for another heartbeat before letting go and smoothing out his uniform as he turned and went back to his table.

She smiled at her friend's back, hoping this wasn't going to be the last time she'd see him.

Richard cleared his throat, pulling her attention away from Nixon and her melancholic thoughts.

"Richard, I'm so sorry to cancel our plans last minute. I'm sure you'll be able to find someone else to go with though. Attractive officers are never short of willing companions."

He smiled at her, his lips turning up into a soft curve that wrinkled his eyes in the corners. "Maybe, but none of them are you so I think I'll stick to Nix's company."

Her cheeks warmed and she quickly glanced down at her shoes, for a moment feeling more like a school girl than a soldier going off to war.

"I wanted to give you this earlier," she heard Richard say, looking up in time to see him take out a velveteen box from inside his jacket, "but I never got the chance."

She reached for the box, relishing the feeling of the soft fabric underneath her fingertips. Taking it from his grasp she pushed down on the clasp to open it. Inside, neatly laid out on more soft fabric, was a locket with a wildflower pattern engraved on the outside.

"Open it," he said and without looking away from her beautiful gift she did as she was told, opening the face of the locket to expose the compass that it hid.

"A compass disguised as a locket," she murmured to herself.

"I found the compass in London when Nixon dragged me there. We were able to find someone that does engraving."

She finally looked up from her gift to find him staring at her, his eyes searching her face for the answer to a question he hadn't asked.

"It's beautiful Richard, really."

"One of the first training exercises you had with Easy we were delayed and sitting in a field. There were still a few wildflowers blooming and you picked one and played with it."

She smiled, she remembered that day. It had been unseasonably warm and they'd stumbled upon some of the last flowers while waiting for Sobel.

"I know you already have a compass but it looked pretty beaten up. So I hope you can use this one."

She softly closed the lid of the box and reached for Richard's one hand. "I'll never take it off. Thank you."

His smile faded as his face became serious. "Wherever you're going. Be safe."

"You too," was all she could manage. With a squeeze of his hand she turned and left, Clark falling in beside her.

Arlene POV

"Arlene wait!" a familiar voice called after her as she left the Easy mess.

She turned, replaying the story they had to tell over and over again so she'd be sure to get it right.

Their men knew the truth of their assignment, they had to trust each other so lying wasn't an option, but everyone else had to get a version of the truth.

"Bill, darling. What can I do you for?"

"Cut the crap doll, what's going on? You leaving and going to fight the Krauts all by yourself without inviting your friend Bill?"

She smiled fondly at him. "Like you would let me live that down. God, I'd never hear the end of it! Jessica and I are temporarily assigned to the Brits to help them process intelligence, nothing exciting I promise. Honestly I'm going to be sitting in a chair all day getting soft and fat."

"C'mon, your five fellas look like someone stole their broad and it's all because you're going to be spending more time behind a chair?"

 _Man, their team really needed to work on their poker faces! Good thing they weren't coming with them._

Bill just levelled her with an unwavering look, his thick jaw firmly set.

She sighed, she wished she didn't have to lie to him. "Bill, you don't go do doing anything stupid while I'm gone. Okay?"

His shoulders slouched forward as he ran a hand through his hair, his square jaw relaxing for the first time since he'd chased her down. "Wherever you're going doll, just take care of yourself and the Cap. And give 'em hell."

She took a step towards him and leaned forward so she could place a kiss on his cheek. She felt him smile as she pulled away, sadness suddenly weighing down her insides.

She shot him a little wink before turning around and walking away before her emotions got the better of her.

As she neared Jessica's house she finally acknowledged the disappointment that was intermingling with the sadness in the pit of her stomach, weighing her insides down. A part of her had hoped Joe would have been the one to follow her outside, but he hadn't. He'd been in the mess hall when she'd arrived, and she'd felt his eyes on her the entire time she's spoken to her men. For one brief moment as she'd turned to leave their eyes had met and she swore she saw regret in his, but she'd set her jaw and marched out of the hall.

She stopped dead in her tracks and shook her head and shoulders. She had to get a grip on herself and her emotions. Between Joe, Bill, Easy and her own men she was a mess and that wouldn't to. _Time to put all those feeling away somewhere safe where they can't hurt you or Jessica. Time to go to war._

Jessica POV

Somewhere over the French coastline.

The engine of the airplane roared in her ears as the wind from the open door swept around them, filling the deafening silence hanging over them.

They'd been briefed and given gear before being rushed onto a waiting plane that would drop them over France. From there they were to assume their new identities, link up with the local resistance movement and start gathering intelligence which they needed to get back to the Allied forces.

 _Simple enough, in theory at least._

The blade in her hand caught the light of the full moon as she twirled it round and round. She stilled and watched the light dancing on the steel. She wondered how Ron had taken the news of her leaving, if a part of him was upset that she hadn't sought him out before jumping into France.

 _No, put him out of your mind,_ she chided herself, closing the blade and putting it back into the strap around her ankle. Bending forward she felt the weight around her neck pressing against the inside of her civilian clothing.

She reached for her chest, pressing the warm metal back against her skin. They weren't allowed dog tags on the covert operation, in case they got caught, but she had Richard's compass safely hanging from her neck.

She smiled to herself, between Ron and Richard they sure knew how to take care of a girl.

Feeling someone looking at her she straightened out and was met with Arlene's dark, unwavering eyes. Their roles were simple. Cousins who'd been forced to live together since the war had started and their men had died in the initial German assault. They knew each other more than well enough to play their parts without having to think, and that was crucial because all their effort had to go into getting their ever changing mission done and staying alive.

She wasn't as worried as she would have been with anybody else sitting opposite her. Arlene was the most dangerous person she knew, and they were on the same side.

Arlene POV

She recognised the glint in Jessica's eyes. Determined and deadly. She found it oddly comforting considering they were heading for German occupied France ahead of schedule because of the causalities already sustained in the fight.

She leaned her head back against the metal hull of the plane and closed her eyes, allowing the deep rumble of the engine to momentarily drown out all her thoughts.

Her peace and relative quiet lasted only a few moments though before memories of her day with Joe in the snow danced before her shut lids. There was the all too familiar stab in her chest, and she knew all she had to do to ease the pain was open her eyes but she couldn't bring herself to do that, not yet. One more moment of fond memories, before they'd have to jump.

She wasn't a very religious person, it was difficult to be after everything she'd seen and done, but sitting there she said a little prayer. She prayed they'd stay alive long enough to see their friends again, and that they too would survive the fight that lay ahead. She prayed for the strength to do what was necessary when the time came and the luck needed to live through a hail of bullets. And lastly, she thanked God for the woman sitting opposite her, at least she was jumping with her family.

"It's time," the co-pilot shouted over the noise.

Her eyes snapped open and she stood, holding onto the cables running overhead to steady herself.

Jessica was at the door, the co-pilot standing next to her as they waited for the pilot's signal to jump. When the signal came the co-pilot shouted something in Jessica's ear a second before her friend disappeared into the darkness.

She moved forward without hesitation. The man leaned in as he firmly grabbed her shoulder. "Go give 'em hell ma'am!"

In the second it took her brain to register his words she'd stepped out of the open door and into the night's sky like she'd done dozens of times before. The drop was perfect, their landings textbook.

They quickly stashed their chutes and moved into a hedgerow that would provide cover until morning. Two young women wandering about alone at night in war-torn France was really just asking for unnecessary attention.

Once they'd settled in next to each other, their bodies pressed together with a thin blanket for cover, each one with a gun in one hand and a knife in the other, she allowed herself to breathe.

"I'll take first watch," Jessica whispered.

"Okay," was her only reply, no more were needed.

After a few seconds of sitting in the frozen dark in silence Jessica whispered, "Happy new year."

She almost laughed, but the cold air chocked the sound in her throat. "Happy new year," she hoarsely replied instead.

Her last thoughts before sleep took her was of Joe's dark eyes as he watched her leave for France and war.

XXXXXXX

 _Hello! I was going to wait to post over the weekend, but then I decided "screw it" and just posted earlier. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even if you're disappointed Jess never got to go to the dance with Richard. (I feel like I need to say sorry here) The next chapter or two will see the girls working in France behind enemy lines. So yes, we have ourselves a spy mission! Thanks so much for all my amazing reviews, likes and those that added the story to their alert. It means so much to me and I really, truly appreciate it._

 _Now, I usually don't comment on current events, but with all the natural disasters currently/recently impacting the USA, I just wanted to say my thought are with everyone touched by these events. Here's hoping you are all as okay as can be given the circumstances._


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Right, so for this chapter I'm going to put my little note at the start. I can't speak French or German to save my life, so I briefly considered writing the applicable dialogue in either language, but then very quickly decided against it. I really didn't want to butcher anyone's language! So, for most of the following 2 chapters you can assume the dialogue is in French or German unless stated otherwise._

 _Hope you all had a great week and wonderful weekend ahead. Thank you for your continued support and for coming back to the story even though all our lives are busy. Chat soon._

 **Chapter 13**

Arlene POV

France, April 1944

She threw her head back laughing, her dark curls coming undone from the loose hold they were in to tumble down her back. Her laughter, light and girlish, intermingled with the young officer's deep chuckle.

Slowly lifting her head she met her companion's grey eyes, stifling the shudder that ran along her spine, instead curling her lips into an innocent smile.

A jeep carrying two soldiers pulled up behind him, the wheels skidding to a halt on the dirt road. One of the men jumped out, his long limbs elegantly carrying him to them.

"Adrian," the new arrival said as he slapped his friend on the shoulder, "we need to go."

Adrian briefly glanced over his shoulder, pale eyes skipping from the other officer to the jeep and then back to her. "What's the hurry Lutz? It's a beautiful day in beautiful France, what can be so important, huh?"

"We're needed at Head Quarters. They captured a resistance member last night and apparently it didn't take much to break him. The boys didn't even get a chance to have some fun," Lutz casually remarked.

She grimaced as Adrian shot his friend a warning glare. "Really, in front of Genevieve? God man, were you raised by barbarians?"

To his credit Lutz tried to look ashamed, but the ever present cocky grin on his square jawed face gave him away. "My apologies."

She nodded, her lips pursed and hands firmly clasped together in her lap. It was easy to look uncomfortable when you were truly disgusted by the company you were forced to keep.

At face value both men were attractive, with broad shoulders and sharp jaws. Both had blond hair, but Adrian's was nearly white while Lutz's was more golden. Adrian's eyes were grey and cold and Lutz' was a deep blue, almost black.

 _Two perfect Nazi soldiers_ , she thought darkly.

"So, since I'm being called away my dear, I need to know your answer?" Adrian asked as he stood, holding out a hand to her.

She took it, delicately curling her fingers around his palm as he pulled her up and towards him. Looking up at him through her lashes she asked, "What was the question again?"

He smiled indulgently. "Will you accompany me to the ball tomorrow evening?"

Before she could reply Lutz interjected. "And will your cousin Sophie join me? I've asked her three times and every time she smiles and tells me to ask again. I swear at this rate I'm going to have to kidnap her to get an answer."

She blushed and dropped her gaze to the ground, trying her best to look embarrassed. "I think she's been avoiding you because she doesn't have anything to wear to a ball. And neither do I."

Adrian sighed, curling a finger under her chin and lifting her eyes to meet his. "We can help with that. We'll send some men to drop of dresses we acquired in Paris."

She smiled, green eyes twinkling as she looked adoringly up at the young man.

"Is that a yes for both of you?" he asked.

"Yes. For both of us."

The jeep's engine revved to life, it really was time for them to go.

"We'll send someone to pick you two up tomorrow evening. We have to be at the Manor House before the commander's guest start to arrive."

Turning her attention to Lutz she said, "Sophie will be ecstatic."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "Good, she's the life of the party when she's in a good mood."

Adrian lifted the hand he was still holding to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the top of it before nodding and walking away.

She watched them leave, staring adoringly after them until they were out of sight. With a heavy sigh she picked up the empty basket she'd been carrying when Adrian had intercepted her. She'd told him her Uncle, the local baker, had asked her to take bread to the German company stationed nearby and she'd been on her way back when he'd accidently run into her.

Half of that was true. Except her Uncle was in-fact the local resistance leader and she knew he was looking for her so she made sure she was alone when he found her.

Upon entering the town it didn't take her long to get to the bakery, after spending nearly four months in the place she knew it like the back of her hand. The town was beautiful, a quintessentially French place that had been spared most of the trauma of a war that had torn so many other places to the ground. She suspected the fact that the local German commander had decided to take up residence in the majestic Manor House situated on an estate just a few miles away from the town had helped. He didn't want his view marred by a charred mess.

The bell attached to the door chimed as she entered the small bakery, the fragrance of bread and cigarette smoke immediately enveloping her.

The man that played the role of their Uncle was behind the counter, his slender, tall frame dwarfing the skinny old woman standing on the other side of the counter.

"Genevieve, did our German guests get their bread?" her Uncle asked in his nasally voice.

The old lady glanced over her shoulder, shooting her a dirty look.

"Yes Uncle. Is Sophie upstairs?" she asked, placing the basket down on the wooden countertop.

He nodded and she smiled politely.

Francois, or her Uncle depending on who you asked, wasn't a very talkative man, but he was very intelligent and ruthless in his goal to expel the German army from France. Both his sons had been killed during the initial invasion. His wife and daughter had fled to England days before the invasion had begun, a precaution none had thought necessary. He hadn't seen them since and only had limited contact.

He was in-charge of the local movement and had been tasked with housing the two of them and helping them to gather and pass on vital intelligence.

Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs which led to her room she paused. "Uncle, there was one thing. The soldiers found one loaf they didn't like, burned they said, and threw it to the ground. There was some excitement about it, so we'll need to see what comes of it."

He turned his dull brown eyes onto her, his razor sharp jaw tense and the muscle in his neck straining against his skin.

The previous evening a young girl had come by in the dead of night with a message that her father had been taken away by the Germans. He'd been a member of the resistance. Not a high-ranking member but a member none the less. It was only a matter of time until the Germans broke him, and now all they could do was wait and see what he'd told them.

The tall man grunted and turned back to his customer and she ascended the stairs.

Jessica POV

She heard the floorboards creak and the bookcase which hid her complained against the person who was moving it aside. She unclipped her side-arm's safety, muscles tense as she held her breath.

The room she shared with Arlene was on the third floor of the bakery. It was small, made even more so by the space hidden behind the oversized bookcase. After stuffing a small table and single chair into the cavity there was hardly any space left for one of them, let alone two, and yet they often spent hours inside the cramped space.

With a hard shove the bookcase finally relented and sunlight streamed in, nearly blinding her after hours spent working by candle light.

"It's me, don't shoot," Arlene groaned as she finished pushing the bookcase aside.

She dropped her arm and put the safety back in place.

Arlene leaned against the side of the bookcase, arms casually folded across her chest. "How'd it go today?"

She leaned back in the chair and lit the cigarette she'd discarded when the bookcase had started to move. "Let's see," she paused as she took a drag, "I was able to get the intelligence out along with a short message to Clark." She exhaled and leaned forward, handing the cigarette over to Arlene. "Our orders for the ball are still unchanged and everything is set up for that."

Arlene nodded, cigarette resting between her lips. "So good," he friend replied in a cloud of smoke.

"Yours?"

Arlene handed her back the cigarette, a grimace on her face. "Went to plan. Ran into Adrian, and your friend Lutz."

She pulled a face causing Arlene to chuckle as she held out her hand for the cigarette

Leaning back in the uncomfortable chair she asked, "When will they drop off the dresses?"

Arlene shrugged. "Whenever it suits them. Probably tonight or tomorrow morning. You know we were lucky they had. It would have raised a few eyebrows if two girls that had lost their homes had ball gowns lying around."

"Well, Lutz couldn't stop bragging about the loot he'd picked up in Paris. God knows why they took dresses with them though."

Arlene disappeared from view for a second, walking to the window to put the cigarette out in the ashtray they kept there. "Probably expensive dresses. Figured they'd ship it back home when they got the chance or use it to win favour with some local girls," she heard her friend reply.

"Oh, aren't we the lucky winners," she remarked dryly.

She heard Arlene snort before her friend appeared back in the opening. "What did Clark say?"

She scratched around on the table until she found the scrap of paper she was looking for. She handed it to Arlene, waiting for her to read the short message.

Arlene pursed her lips and nodded, neatly folding the paper. "Seems things are going well. They should be moving out of Aldbourne soon, can't be long now."

"M'hm," she replied. Clark's message had been understandably short, nothing more than an assurance that they were all fine and a request for more information from her.

Arlene's eyes ran over the small space, a deep frown etching a line down the middle of her forehead.

"The girl's father is dead?"

Arlene shrugged, her eyes still wandering over the space.

"Do we know what he told them?"

Her friend shook her head. "Apparently they broke him quickly, I assume he's dead. We don't know what he told them, but he didn't know about us and the baker had been feeding him faulty intelligence for weeks. Just in case."

"All part of our grand plan, huh?"

"Yeah," Arlene replied, her voice showing the strain the last few months had placed on both of them.

She closed her eyes, pushing her palms onto her shut lids. In the last four months their days had fluctuated between tedium and exhilaration so wildly they were often left drained. Of course having to constantly look over your shoulder didn't help. They never slept at the same time, one of them always standing watch, they hid sidearm and knives underneath their clothing despite the risk of it being found during a random search. She could no longer speak English without a French accent. Arlene was the only one she didn't speak French to and then only when they were alone in their room. Even her German was starting to sound off to her ear, and she often worried her accent had faltered.

"Everything's ready for tomorrow night?" Arlene asked.

She dropped her hands from her face, blinking a few times to ease the sting behind her tired eyes. "As ready as it can be. The documents are set up and our aliases are ready for our next posting."

"And our Uncle?"

"He knows what to do if they come asking questions. His nieces died in a tragic accident after a night at a ball where they had too much to drink and not enough to eat. It happens. Besides, there'll be bodies."

Arlene pushed herself away from the door and stood to one side. "Get some sleep, I'll take the next shift."

She was too tired to argue, but the distance to the bed seemed vast so she seriously considered just staying where she was.

"Any day now," Arlene said, her foot tapping out an impatient rhythm against the floorboard.

Hauling herself up she replied, "Yes, ma'am."

Joe POV

Aldbourne

"How we doing today fellas?" Bill asked Hunt and Parker as they joined their table in the mess hall.

The table fell into a hush, everyone watching the two men as they waited for their reply. They all knew what Bill was really asking. _Any news on Arlene and Jessica?_

It had become somewhat of a routine, whenever the men from Arlene's unit joined them, to ask them if they'd heard from the two women. None of them really believed they were safely tucked away on British soil.

The two men exchanged a loaded glance before Hunt replied, "They're fine. Enjoying the warmer weather. So far they'll still be joining us for the jump into Europe."

"Here," Malarkey said, handing the two men a smoke before starting back up the conversation he'd been busy with before their arrival.

He watched Bill study the two men, his thick jaw working back and forth. "You know, I got a 48-hour pass this weekend. Was thinking of visiting them. Some of your officers visited them a week ago, can you get me the address?"

Parker's fork faltered mid-air as he looked up to find Bill staring him down.

"Yeah, I got a pass to. I'd go with Bill," Luz chipped in.

Parker looked away from Bill to Luz and he could see Hunt's shoulders tense up even though he kept eating in silence.

"Captain Clark said they were moved a few days ago to an undisclosed location. None of us can see them until the drop," Parker finally replied, his eyes moving from Luz to Bill, daring them to question his story.

Bill took a last drag of the cigarette he'd been nursing. "You could get a message to them? Just want to make sure they know we're thinking of them."

"Sure," Hunt replied through a mouthful of food.

"Joe," Bill said, pulling him into a conversation he was happy to sit and listen in on, "you wanna send a message to Arlene?"

He scowled at the Philadelphian. He always made sure to be within earshot of any conversation where Arlene was concerned, but he rarely contributed to one. On the one hand he didn't feel he had the right to say anything, not after what he'd done, and on the other he didn't trust himself to keep his emotions in check when it came to her. He couldn't ignore the gnawing feeling in his stomach, the dark cloud in the back of his mind that the day she'd walked out of the mess hall was the last time he'd see her.

Before he could form a coherent reply Hunt said, "No, he doesn't have anything to say to her. Right Liebgott?"

He smirked to hide the embarrassment. "Yeah, right."

He knew Hunt and Parker, along with the other sergeants from Arlene's unit, tolerated him but none of them would be torn up to see him go.

"Hey, anyone interested in a game of cards?" Luz interjected, slapping a pack of cards between his palms.

He shrugged, inwardly glad Luz had taken it upon himself to lighten the mood.

Arlene POV

She bent forward, feeling the fabric of her royal blue dress strain across her ribs.

"What are you doing?" Jessica asked.

"Seeing if I can move in the dress," she replied.

She could sense her friend rolling her eyes. Straightening out she asked, "What?"

"You are so special."

"Like you didn't test it?"

"Darling, look at me. I'm wearing a canary yellow dress. I look amazing, but heaven knows if I need to worry about my range of motion it's probably already too late. The Luftwaffe could spot me from the air on a moonless night with a half-blind pilot."

"You chose to wear that dress."

"We flipped a coin remember? I get to cause the diversion, so I will do my damnedest and if that means wearing a yellow dress with a scandalously low neckline, then so be it."

Screeching tyres coming to a sudden stop outside their window and the German voices that followed put an end to their conversation. She instinctively reached for the small handgun strapped to her inner thigh, their other guns already packed away.

Heavy footsteps climbed up the stairs and stopped right outside their door. They held their breath, two pairs of eyes fixed to the door.

A single knock was followed by their Uncle's voice. "Girls, can I come in? Your escort is here."

They collectively exhaled. "Come in," Jessica called.

Francois opened the door and stepped inside the room, leaving it open behind him just in case their German escort decided to come looking for them.

"You ready?" he simply asked, he wasn't a man of many words.

"Yes. Are you?" Jessica replied.

The Frenchman nodded. "We'll meet you at the rendezvous point afterwards. Things are in place."

She glanced at herself in the mirror one last time. "Well then," she said, turning away from her reflection, "time to attend a ball."

Ron POV

"Damnit Nixon, you know something! What is it?" He rung his cap in his hands, glancing around the empty yard in-front of the Easy mess to see if anyone had overheard his outburst.

It had been month's since Jessica and Arlene had abruptly left Aldbourne without so much as a goodbye. Yes, Clark had found him and spun some story, but he never believed a single word of it. In the short time he'd known the two women he never once got the impression they were the type to sit quietly behind a desk collating information.

Nixon shook his head. "Speirs, I know as much as you do."

"Bullshit! You're an Intelligence Officer and you lived with Jessica. If you don't know anything concrete then you definitely have your suspicions."

Nixon took a deep breath, his thick eyebrows knotted into a single line.

For months the man had dodged his questions or him, but he'd finally been able to get him alone when he followed him from the Easy mess after dinner. Even though the officer was no longer part of Easy, it was the surest place to go looking if you needed to find him.

"Please Nixon," he said, desperation tinging his words.

 _God, what has become of me?_

As if finally relenting the other officer sighed heavily before replying, "I don't know anything of sure, but I have an educated guess."

He waited patiently for Nixon to continue, but his insides were clenched in a tight ball, ready to lash out at the slightest provocation.

"Clark once mentioned their unit works with British Intelligence on the odd occasion. I may also have seen some very confidential reports which briefly mentioned the fact that agents on the ground in certain occupied territories had been lost. All of that combined with the fact that both women left in a hurry and didn't take most of their gear with them means there's a possibility they've been loaned out to the SOE."

He simply stared at the other man, words momentarily escaping him as anger boiled inside of his chest. He'd suspected as much of course, but to have it all but confirmed was like a punch to the gut.

"Speirs, are you still there?"

He snapped his eyes to Nixon's and the other man instantly took a small step backwards. "I'm sure Jessica's fine. Clark's still on contact with them. No matter where they are, she's still alive."

He glared at the other man, his anger flamed by the fact that he'd been so easy to read. He wanted to know where both women were because that would tell him where Jessica was.

Nixon eyed him cautiously as he said, "She took your knife with her."

"What?" he barked, eyes flashing.

"The Christmas gift you gave Jessica. She showed it to me the day she got it. After she'd left I went into her room to see if she'd left any clues as to where she was going. She didn't, but the knife was gone. They barely took any personal belongings with them, but she took that."

He stared at Nixon for a heartbeat before simply nodding and sharply turning around, marching off into the night. He could feel Nixon's eyes boring holes into his back until he rounded the corner of a nearby building. He slumped against the brick wall, all the fight leaving his body as soon as he rested his back against the building.

He quickly lit a cigarette, the warm smoke settling his insides and slowing his heart rate to a more respectable pace.

He wasn't sure what he hated more. The fact that Jessica was off fighting in Europe without him or that, even in her absence, she still managed to destabilise him. When Nixon had told him she'd taken his gift with her, his heart had nearly exploded in his chest, an elation which was quickly followed by the violent image of her using it in the line of duty.

 _Get a grip._

He threw the half smoked cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. Looking around the dark town he made up his mind. He needed a distraction.

XXXXXXX


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **XXXXXX**

Hi all! I'm putting the note at the start of this chapter, because as with the previous one, I wanted to add the language disclaimer. I wrote all the dialogue in English, because I'm not fluent in German or French, but it's safe to assume all the dialogue in this chapter is in those two languages. (Chapter 13 and 14 were originally one long chapter, which I broke in two.)

Thank you so so so much to everyone that added me to their alerts and for all the likes and amazing reviews!

Hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter 14**

Jessica POV

The spring air was cool against her warm skin, with a light breeze blowing a loose strand of hair across her face, tickling her cheek. The golden light from dozens of candles lined the cobblestone path that led to the large stairs which would take them to the imposing front door of the manor house. She turned her eyes to the skies and smiled. There was a thick blanket of clouds covering the moon and the stars. If it wasn't for the candles they'd be standing in total darkness.

She was aware of Arlene standing beside her, her friend making small talk with the driver who had brought them to the party. The sounds from inside the house drifted down to them. The elegant melody being played by a band barely audible over the steady hum of voices, punctuated every so often by laughter.

Four high ranking German officers strode past them, the men not even trying to hide their leering. She pretended to be embarrassed by it, a shy smile on her lips as she dropped her eyes to the ground.

"We should go inside," Arlene said softly in her perfect French.

She gave a small nod and smiled in thanks to their driver before starting for the stairs, her heels clicking on the stones with every step, marking their steady pace.

With every step the sounds from inside grew louder, reaching out and pulling them into the warm glow that awaited them.

Just as they were about to step through the doors and into the golden light she consciously straightened out her shoulder, threw her head back and parted her lips into an amazed smile.

The handful of soldiers milling around the lobby stole glances at them as they made their way deeper inside the very impressive building. She had to take deep, deliberate breaths to keep the hairs on the back of her neck from standing on end. They were surrounded by the enemy and every step and false smile took them deeper inside the belly of the beast.

Their driver had told them Lutz and Adrian would be waiting for them in the main ballroom near the door, although he had been unclear as to which door. This was something she was quickly realising might prove tricky when she spotted the three archways leading to the ballroom and the hundreds of German officers and their guests.

"How are we supposed to find two soldiers in a sea of them?" she asked her companion.

"God only knows," Arlene grumbled at her side.

She aimed for the centre archway, deciding it gave them the best chance to spot their dates. Just as they passed under the archway three senior SS-officers walked past them, forcing them apart. One of the men slid past her, the coarse fabric of his uniform rubbing against the skin of her arm. She shivered and suppressed the urge to reach for Ron's gift that was securely strapped to her thigh.

The man smiled down at her and she automatically smiled back, years of experience and training overriding her basic instincts.

The three men passed them just as they entered the ballroom, but before she could turn to look at Arlene a strong hand grabbed her arm, pulling her hard against an even stronger chest. Her heart leapt into her throat and her hands balled into fists as all her muscle tensed, ready to fight for her life.

"Calm down darling, it's only me," her captor said.

Her eyes shot up to his face, her brain recognising the voice, but taking a moment to place it. Lutz's dark eyes looked down at her, amusement clearly shining through.

She forced the panic down and laughed a little hysterically a she playfully slapped his chest. "You nearly scared me to death Lutz!"

He laughed as he let go of her, signalling to a nearby waiter. "You're at a ball, you have nothing to be scared of. Unless you're working for the enemy?"

She rolled her eyes and laughed, squeezing his bicep. "You are a very funny man!"

"True," he replied with a smirk. "I was hoping you would wear that dress."

 _Of course you did, it's flashy and makes sure everyone's eyes are on you as long as I'm on your arm. Ambitious ass,_ she thought.

"You have excellent taste," she purred instead.

"Here," Adrian said as a glass filled with champagne appeared beside her.

She smiled over her shoulder at Arlene's date and gratefully took the glass. They couldn't drink a lot, they needed their wits about them tonight, but a few wouldn't hurt and it would help take the edge off.

"Next time Lutz, maybe get your date a drink first before terrorizing her," Adrian scolded his friend.

She didn't like either man, but if she were being completely honest with herself her distaste for Lutz was personal while Adrian's was due to the uniform he wore.

When they'd met Adrian and Lutz, conveniently visiting a bar frequented by young German officers, they'd drawn straws to see who they'd end up with. She'd pulled the short one.

"Don't be so uptight man, we're just having some fun that's all," Lutz retorted, placing a possessive arm around her waist.

Arlene shot her a sympathetic look, but she noticed the little smile on the corner of her friend's lips.

"C'mon, let's introduce you to everyone. They've heard so much about you two," Adrian said as he steered Arlene towards a large crowd of soldiers.

 _Let the games begin._

Arlene POV

As the night wore on their dates paraded them around the ballroom, making sure to introduce them to everyone and anyone that was important to their careers. For their part they smiled, and laughed, looking on adoringly at them as the two young men navigated the politics of the military.

She begrudgingly had to admit both men were very adept at what they did, and she could easily see why they'd risen so fast through the ranks.

They'd danced with Adrian and Lutz only a handful of times, more often being pawned out to another senior officer for a spin around the dancefloor. They never complained though, and made sure to do their best to ingratiate themselves and their dates to these important men. They knew how to play their parts well.

By the time midnight rolled around, if they really had been drinking, they would have been more than a little tipsy. Instead they acted it, both technically still on their second glass of champagne.

She was standing with Jessica, their dates and three senior officers, including the host, when a young, nervous looking man practically ran up to them.

"Sir, the singer isn't here. She sent a message. She's ill," the man hissed, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air drifting in from the open windows.

She glanced over to Jessica, briefly catching her friend's eye.

Their host, a slightly overweight man who insisted on wearing his uniform a size too small turned his small, rat like features on the poor man. "My guests are expecting a song. Now you send a car and drag her over here or it'll be your head and hers."

An awkward silence descended over the group with no one willing to meet the poor soldier's gaze. She held her breath, hoping the plan they'd put in place months ago would pay off now.

"Excuse me sir," Lutz said, his usual bravado tinged with uncertainty.

The officer turned his eyes onto Lutz, and she held her breath.

"Yes," the man paused as he searched for the name, "Lutz?"

"Well sir, by the time the performer is found, dressed and put on the stage most of your guests will be in their beds."

"For your sake I hope you have point," the man said.

Lutz cleared his throat and rolled the dice. "Well, sir. This woman on my arm is not only beautiful, but has a voice to match. She can sing us a few tunes."

Jessica's eyes widened and she shook her head. "Oh no, Lutz is being far too generous, sir."

"The only thing Lutz is generous in, is killing our enemies," Adrian added, vouching for Jessica in his own way.

The general's eyes looked from his two officers to Jessica and she swore everyone held their breath. "Very well, go," he said, jerking his glass on the direction of the stage.

Jessica nervously looked to Lutz, who whispered something in her ear. Her friend nodded before making her way to the stage.

She watched Jessica climb onto the small stage and talk softly to the band leader. Her heart was racing now, not because she was worried about Jessica being able to pull this off, but because there was no turning back now.

This had always been their plan A. Ensure the men heard Jessica sing, she had a spectacular voice, and then make damn sure the actual entertainer wasn't able to make it to the party.

Of course this still left a lot to chance, but they'd done what they could to stack things in their favour, including making sure they were in their host's company when the entertainer was due to start. Now it was up to Jessica to distract everyone so she could slip away unnoticed. Well, she and Adrian could slip away unnoticed.

With two short taps to the microphone the room turned to look at the stage, eager to see what was going to happen.

See saw Jessica's chest rise and fall, her eyes closed and her body stiff behind the microphone. It was all an act, the opening credit which would make what followed all the more impressive.

As if on cue her friend's lips parted and a luxurious sound drifted into the microphone and onto all their ears. Jessica opened her eyes, her body relaxed and gone was the shy French girl, replaced by a woman that could have been a movie star in another life.

 _That's my girl_.

She heard coughing to her right and felt something warm and clammy press against her arm. She looked over to find Adrian looking down at her, his eyes blurry as he held onto her for stability.

 _Right on time._

She gently pulled on Lutz's sleeve and the man barely turned his head to look at her, his expression silently asking her what was so important.

"He doesn't look right. I think he had too much to drink," she whispered.

Lutz looked over her head to Adrian and a dark scowl etched itself onto his forehead.

"I'll take him somewhere more discreet. Stay with Sophie?"

The man's shoulders relaxed when he realised he wouldn't have leave and forfeit the praise that he was surely entitled to.

He nodded before turning back to the stage.

 _Thank God for assholes,_ she thought, there plan would have been complicated if he'd been a good friend and insisted on helping her.

She put Adrian's right arm around her shoulder and wedged her body close to his. To the casual onlooker they would look like nothing more than young lovers eager to be close to one another. She steered him out of the ballroom and towards the front door. She giggled at his missteps and allowed him to place drunken kisses on her cheeks as she struggled to stay upright.

Reaching the lobby she directed him to the staircase which led to the private chambers upstairs.

He raised a drunken eyebrow and she gave him a seductive smile, not that she was sure he could see it through his blurred vision.

Painfully slowly they stumbled up the stairs, the heavy carpets soft underfoot, absorbing the sound of their very clumsy footsteps.

They were almost at the top of the stairs when someone asked, "Where are you going?".

Her insides froze, her breath hitched, but she turned around and giggled, making sure to wobble a little as she took on more of Adrian's weight.

They didn't have much time, he was going to pass out soon.

To her relief the man that had stopped them wasn't an officer, or a man really, even in the soft light she was sure he hadn't yet started shaving.

Before she could say anything Adrian straightened out slightly and roughly pulled her against him, nearly making her lose her footing and sending them both tumbling down the stairs.

"I am taking this lady on a tour. Is that a problem soldier?" His speech was slurred, but she could hear the threat implicit in his words, and by the way the boy swallowed so could he.

The boy coughed and took a tentative step backwards. "No-no, sir. I'll make sure you're not bothered again."

"Good," Adrian replied.

He quickly turned on his heel, so quickly in-fact he nearly fell flat on his face and she had to do everything she could to keep him up. He giggled drunkenly and she shushed him.

Hoping to avoid another run in she led them the short distance up the rest of the stairs as quickly as she could. She knew where she needed to be, and she needed Adrian to get her as close as possible. Reaching the top she moved so she was standing in-front of him before gently gripping the back of his neck. Lifting herself onto her toes she firmly pulled his face towards her. Their lips met and the kiss was too warm, the taste of liquor on his wet lips too sweet. He snaked an arm around her waist, but she easily pulled away, his drunken and drugged state weakening his grip and slowing his reflexes.

She giggled as he reached for her, slurring something that sounded like, "Come here."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him further down the corridor she needed to be in. He allowed her to lead him for a few clumsy yards before pulling her back and slamming her into the wall. He crashed their lips together so hard she knew they'd be bruised the next day. She kissed him back for a moment, opening her eyes to see how close she was to where she'd need to leave him.

She could see the door to the bathroom, and the heavy weight of her led lined purse distracted her from the drunken kiss she was involved in.

Dipping out of his embrace she stopped just out of his reach and slowly walked to the bathroom door. Opening it she glanced inside, impressed at the size and opulence of the room.

She leaned against the doorframe and smiled seductively at Adrian. He smirked as he stumbled towards her. She had to admire his determination. She knew he felt terrible and was about to feel a hell of a lot worse.

When he was within reach she grabbed his uniform with her free hand and pulled him inside the room, her laughter ringing out as she lifted her other hand and brought the sharp edge of her modified purse down hard on the back of his skull.

The impact, combined with the laced alcohol she'd been feeding him all night meant he went down hard.

She quickly shut the door behind them before bending down to check his pulse. He was alive, but out cold and would be for a while. He'd feel terrible when he woke up, experiencing what should be the worst hangover of his, or anybody else's, life.

She felt bad for a second. All in all she'd met worse men in her life, and maybe in a different life they could have gotten along quite well.

 _Oh well,_ she thought as she put her purse down and got to work.

With some difficulty she pulled him into a half sitting position against the toilet. She made quick work of unbuttoning his jacket and tossing it into one corner of the room. She pulled hard at his shirt, tearing a few buttons, and pulled it out of his pants. Undoing his belt and his pants she thought about pulling them down but decided against it. If they'd really been lovers she wouldn't have left him completely exposed. She needed him, and anyone else that found him, to think he'd gotten lucky, not been left humiliated.

She stood and looked him over. His face was already smudged with lipstick and she'd done a good job of messing his hair. Turning to the white marble counter the basin was built into she eyed the pretty bottles of soaps and creams.

 _Such a shame._

She ran her arm across the counter, dashing the containers to the ground and spilling cream everywhere. She dipped her hand into the cream and pressed it against the glass before running it through his hair, splattering a few drops of cream on his pants for good measure.

 _Well, he looks like he got lucky._

Happy with her handiwork she checked him once more to make sure he was out cold before carefully stepping back into the corridor.

The corridor was quiet. She glanced at her watch. Jessica still had two more songs to go and while her friend was busy she was relatively certain no one would come looking for her. She'd seen it before, the way Jessica would move and sing, when she looked at you, you felt like you were the only person in the world. No, no one was coming to look for her.

She purposefully walked down the long corridor, following it as it made a sharp right bend. She counted the doors as she went until she found the one she was looking for.

Grabbing the wooden door handle she felt it strain against her attempt to turn it.

 _It was worth a try_.

She reached behind her and pulled out two long pins from her hair. Bending down she put her clutch bag on the floor so both her hands were free. She made quick work of picking the lock, it had been made to keep curious maids and butlers out of their master's bedroom, not stop thieves.

The lock opened with a satisfying click and she quickly picked up her bag, stuffing the pins inside, before opening the door and stepping inside.

The large room was heavy with the smell of old cigar smoke and liquor. One bedside lamp had been left on, providing just enough light for her to study the room. A heavy, worn, dark red carpet covered most of the wooden floorboards. A large four post bed with an obscene amount of pillows that would have dominated a smaller room, stood off to one side. What she was really interested in though was on the other side of the room. An ornately carved desk faced the door at an angle. A handful of papers and large brown envelopes were haphazardly stacked onto three piles, each one looking closer to toppling over than the next.

She quickly closed the distance to the desk, her ears straining to hear which song was being sung so she could judge how much time she had left. Coming to a stand behind the desk, right where the chair had been a second earlier, she switched on the copper desk lamp as she placed her purse down. She ignored the papers on the table, instead searching for the tell-tale signs which would give away the German's preferred hiding place for more sensitive information.

The light from the lamp cast a feint shadow on some shallow scratch marks on the front of the bottom left drawer. She ran a finger over the drawer, feeling the marks which would have been left by repeated opening and closing. A quick inspection of the other drawers revealed they were all somewhat worn from years of use, but none of them to the same extent.

Satisfied she'd found the best place to start her search in the limited time she had, she tugged on the drawer. Unsurprisingly it resisted.

 _Probably the right place then._

Taking her picks from her purse she made quick work of the lock. She ignored the drawer's obvious content, instead running her fingers along the inside seam, feeling for the small indentation she knew would be there. Finding the tiny dip in the bottom of the drawer she pushed down hard and with a satisfying pop the bottom separated from the frame. Lifting it out she placed the wooden plank with its content off to one side.

Inside the hidden compartment were two envelopes, both with their red seals broken and both with the word "confidential" written in bold red letters across the front.

She quickly emptied the content onto the desktop, sprawling the handful of pages out so each word was easily distinguishable. She grabbed the razor sharp envelope opener from across the desk and sliced open the lining of her purse to expose the small camera hidden inside. In a matter of seconds she'd taken a picture of each page, both a physical one and a mental one.

The first envelope had contained detailed information on the German preparations for the coming invasion of Europe. She was happy to find that the Allied attempts at misleading the German forces were bearing some fruit, although only time would tell how many lives it would spare in the end. This document had been her objective. They knew the commander received detailed and highly confidential updates on the German defences, information that would prove invaluable in the coming invasion.

The second envelope was a bonus of sorts. It was in fact the transcript of the interrogation of the resistance member the German's had recently captured. She sighed in relief when by the end she hadn't seen her or Jessica's names, real or otherwise, nor their Uncle's.

With the last photo taken she put her camera back in its place before putting the papers back into theirs, making sure to place them in the exact order she'd found them. With each envelope safely back in its hiding place she replaced the drawer bottom, locked it and gave the desk one last cursory glance to ensure nothing was out of place, before switching off the light.

When she reached the bedroom door she pressed her ear to the thick wood. She could hear rapturous applause, which meant the show was over, but more importantly she couldn't hear anything else.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself she slowly opened the door and paused. When only the distant sound of applause followed she quickly stepped into the hallway, making sure to lock the door behind her.

Purposefully marching down the hallway she nearly sighed out loud when she found the large staircase and lobby empty. She forced herself to descend the stairs slowly, only sparing one glance towards the ballroom before casually exiting the imposing building.

The clicking of her heels on the stone pathway leading from the entrance of the building to the rows of parked cars sounded like cannon fire inside her brain.

 _God, are these things always this loud?_

Luckily she quickly found a military jeep that wasn't parked in and better yet, some genius had left the keys in the ignition.

"Well isn't that nice of them," she said to herself.

Leaning against the side of the jeep that would best hide her from the doorway she waited and watched the seconds on her watch tick by. Jessica was supposed to meet her outside after making some excuse to go to the ladies. They were sure Lutz wouldn't want to escort her, he'd be far too interested in lapping up the attention that would surely be directed his way. With people drinking and dancing, it would take some time before anyone would really miss her. At least that was plan A, she didn't want to contemplate plan B, she really wasn't dressed for a midnight high-jacking.

"Excuse me, can we help you ma'am?" her insides froze as the harsh German voice shot through her.

Slowly turning around she rearranged her face into a sweet smile, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she silently berated herself for being caught off-guard. "Oh," she started, glancing at the gravel before looking up to the three men standing in-front of her, "I'm sorry for bothering you. I just needed some fresh air. There are so many people in there."

The three men smiled indulgently at her clumsy German and shy, downcast eyes.

One of the three stepped forward, but stopped short of touching her. "Only the officers are allowed in there, while we have to watch the cars. It was getting lonely out here until you showed up."

She giggled, a nervous sound that made the man closest to her grin as his eyes darkened.

"I should go back inside. My companion will be waiting for me and I don't want to keep you from your work," she said as she tried to step around the soldier.

This time he did touch her, grabbing her arm a little too forcefully and pulling her towards him. "No rush sweetheart," he growled and the smell of cheap alcohol assaulted her nose.

Her eyes darted from the man holding her to his two companions. Neither one seemed interested in intervening, and she doubted they would save her from their friend if she'd been the type of woman to need it.

The soldier furthest from her started to say something when a flash of sliver across his throat stopped him. Suddenly crimson blood fell in a thin waterfall down his pale neck, soaking his shirt as his eyes widened in surprise and his mouth gaped open. He reach for his throat and fell to his knees.

Before her captor or the remaining soldier were able to register what had happened she dropped her purse and twisted the arm he was holding around so she was grabbing onto him.

She yanked the man closer to her, so close she could feel his panicked breathing on her cheek. With her free hand she reached for his sidearm, easily unclipping it as he drunkenly fumbled for it. In one fluid movement she pressed the gun between their bodies and switched off the safety.

Realising what was about to happen the man tried to push her away, but he was drunk and caught off guard and she was stronger than she looked after years of war. As the whites of his pale blue eyes widened and panic really set in she pulled the trigger three times, the press of their bodies silencing the shots. She held onto him, watching as the life left his eyes before unceremoniously dropping him to the ground.

Jessica POV

The moment she saw the three soldiers standing in a crescent she knew what had to be done. She'd scanned the area and hadn't found Arlene anywhere, which meant she had to be behind the three men. There was no way they were going to convince the men to allow them to leave, which left them with only one option.

She kicked off her shoes and lifted her dress, reaching for the blade strapped to her inner thigh. Flicking it open she took comfort in the weight of it, how it perfectly settled in her palm as her fingers curled around the warm metal.

Quietly approaching the group from behind she caught a glimpse of Arlene just as one of the soldiers forcibly grabbed her arm. Luck was on her side though, the soldier at the back of the small group was also the shortest of the three men. Coming up behind him she tensed her muscles, unconsciously flexing her fingers around the hilt of the blade.

In one movement she used her free hand to pull his head back, exposing his throat, while she drew the blade across it. She felt the man stiffen for a moment, before his fatal wound got the better of him, his body dropping to the ground as he spluttered.

She ignored him, he was already as good as dead and unable to call for help. Instead she turned her attention to the closest enemy soldier.

He was young, and his doe-like eyes stared at her in complete disbelief. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew his face would come back to haunt her, but she didn't dwell on it.

His hand went for his sidearm just as she reached him. She drove the blade into his abdomen, just underneath his ribs, before using all her strength to twist it up and into his lungs. He grabbed her hair with one hand, yanking her head back as he tried to push her away. She allowed him to create some distance between them, pulling her blade along with her and freeing it from his chest.

She swung her blade at his face, missing it by inches but forcing him to let go of her hair. He was finally able to unclip his sidearm, but his hands were trembling so badly he was unable to quickly release the safety. He looked away from her to the gun, trying to use both hands to steady it.

She stepped inside his reach as she shifted her grip on the blade. Lifting her arm she drove the blade into the side of his neck. His eyes shot up to find hers, shock taking years from his already youthful expression. The gun slipped between them, his fingers losing all their power as is life slipped away. She pulled out the blade just as he slumped to his knees before falling onto his side.

For a second she couldn't help but stare at him, if it wasn't for the blood forming a pool around him she would have said he was resting, peaceful and innocent.

A finger as familiar as her own gently touched her arm. "Hey?" Arlene called to her.

She pulled her eyes away from the youth's face to find her best friend staring intently at her. She smiled and waved her hand around the scene they'd caused. "Hope you don't mind me crashing your little private party?"

Arlene smirked. "They weren't very chatty, so it was getting a bit boring actually." Her friend looked around, eyes darting to the mansion's entrance behind her. "We can't leave them here."

"No, we can't. But there's so much blood we can't take all of them with us either."

"Well, shit, doesn't that just narrow down our options to zero."

She rolled her eyes, every so often Arlene could be dramatic. "See if any of them has a knife. We'll cover it in blood and leave it here with two of the bodies. The third one, that one," she waved her knife in the direction of the soldier Arlene had shot, "we'll take with us. Everyone will assume he did it and ran."

Without replying Arlene turned and searched the soldier she'd shot. She was about to start on the first man she'd killed when Arlene exclaimed, "Found it!"

"Put blood on it and dump it next to the bodies."

Arlene nodded. "Get your shoes, I'll get the bullet casings."

They made quick work staging their crime scene. She wasn't sure it would be enough to completely cover their tracks, but hopefully the rest of their plan would take care of that. With some improvisation.

Together they hefted the first attacker's body onto the backseat of the jeep before jumping in the front, her driving as Arlene road shotgun.

They sped into the night having memorised every road and dirt track that would take them from the manor house to the rendezvous point.

"Why didn't anybody come looking for us?" Arlene shouted over the wind whipping past their heads.

"God knows. Luck," she replied, eyes fixed on the narrow road.

"How much more do you have left?"

She quickly glanced at her friend. "What?"

"Luck, how much more do you have left?"

Checking the empty rear-view mirror she replied, "Don't know, but I must be running out!"

They spent the rest of the ride in silence and she only slowed down when they had to take the well-hidden backroad that would take them to the meeting point where the baker and two other trusted resistance members would be waiting for them.

She turned off the gravel road and Arlene stiffened beside her, the dead soldier's sidearm ready in her hand.

Brining the jeep to a halt, engine still running, she held her breath and put the vehicle into reverse. They waited for a few seconds, her heart pounding against her ribs with each one.

Three figures slowly emerged from the shadows and they all held up their hands. "Napoleon," the tallest man shouted and she recognised their Uncle's voice.

"Bonaparte," they both replied in unison.

She switched off the jeep and hopped out. Without the lights from the jeep she felt safer, the darkness folding around them like a safety blanket.

"Success?" their Uncle asked in greeting.

"Yes," Arlene replied, "but we had to improvise," she finished, waving her hand in the jeep's direction.

Her eyes were adjusting to the dark, so much so that she could make out the basic facial features of the other two men.

They knew both from their months spent at their posting. Both were senior members of the resistance and both were hard men she'd trust in a fight.

Pierre was stocky and very muscular, his years as a farmer having developed his muscles and hardened his skin.

Jacques was almost the exact opposite. Tall and lanky he looked fragile, but he had an incredibly sharp mind and was one hell of shot.

"What the hell is this?" Jacques hissed when he looked inside the jeep.

"What improvisation looks like," she retorted, her temper growing shorter now that her adrenaline was starting to wane.

The tall man was about to reply when Arlene explained, "When I was waiting for Jessica three guards approached me. I tried to leave them but this one wasn't allowing it. We killed all three, no alarm was raised."

"Where are the other two?" their Uncle interrupted her story.

Arlene shot him an annoyed look which he would have seen even in the dark, but deftly ignored. "There was blood everywhere so we couldn't bring them along. We staged it so it would look like he had killed his two companions before running off."

"That's nice, but what are we supposed to do with a dead German?" Pierre casually asked.

Jacques was the first to answer. "We'll put the other two bodies in the car with him and set the whole thing on fire before pushing it into the ditch. When they're found, if they're found, it would be assumed he kidnapped the two girls and crashed."

"Simple really," she quipped, relieved their entire plan wasn't undone. Two young girls had died a few days earlier. One in an ugly farming accident and the other because she'd asked one too many questions of her German guests. Somehow the resistance had convinced the families to have fake funerals and give them their bodies. The girls' hair had been cut, and the one bleached blonde, so they would closely resemble her and Arlene. It had been lucky coming across the two bodies, both providing a good reason why they were gone when the German's came looking for them.

 _Lucky for us,_ she thought darkly.

Their Uncle looked to the car and nodded before jerking his head in Pierre's direction. Seconds later the shorter man dumped two backpacks at their feet.

Without a word they grabbed the bags and moved to the back of the jeep, where they would have some privacy from the three men.

They quickly dumped the content of the packs on the ground and sorted it into usable piles. They stripped off their bloody dresses and modest jewellery before slipping on the well-worn men's clothing that had been provided. An attempt had been made to tailor the clothes to their frames, but they both still swam in it.

Dressed she pulled her hair into a ponytail before tucking it into a cap that had been provided. Glancing to her side she saw Arlene had done the same thing.

They quickly armed themselves, each with one sidearm tucked into their pants and a handful of ammunition shoved into the hidden pockets of their large coats. She poured some of the water they'd been given over Ron's blade before whipping it off on her beautiful yellow dress. She turned the blade around, studying it in the moonlight. It wasn't clean, but this was the best she'd be able to do for now. She quickly flicked it shut before strapping it to her ankle. The last thing she put on was the compass Richard had given her, the cold metal burning against her skin.

Everything they could use she put back in her pack in an order she'd remember, before straightening out and throwing the heavy canvas pack over one shoulder.

She tossed her bloody dress to Jacques who caught it easily with one hand, Arlene's dress already occupying his other fist.

"Here," she said as she handed him her shoes and jewellery.

He dropped everything into another canvas bag, closing it tightly.

"You remember the plan?" their Uncle asked as they were about to leave.

She sighed, they'd come up with the damn plan the moment the British had told them where they were needed next.

"Pierre will escort us, the walk should take two days or so. Once there we are to hide in the basement of the local resistance leader, Juan, during the day while doing reconnaissance at night. You two will stage an accident so that when the bastards come looking for us you can be indigent and sad that your two precious nieces had died under their watch."

She stared at the man, hands on her hips and eyebrow raised.

He nodded and gripped her shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze that would leave marks. "Take care."

She gave him one firm nod as she tapped his hand. "You too."

He let go of her and greeted Arlene in a similar fashion. As she greeted Jacques with a handshake he said, "Juan's been able to get equipment to process photos. Old equipment, but it should do."

She smiled. "Be careful."

He chuckled, the only other option available to him was torture and death.

"C'mon," Pierre called over this shoulder as he walked into the darkness.

She hurried after him and felt Arlene fall into step beside her.

"Thank you," her friend whispered.

"For?" she asked.

"Killing those two."

"Anytime."

As she said the words the scared youth's eyes flashed before her and she swallowed hard. Arlene's fingers wrapped around her hand and squeezed it. She returned the pressure and for a few seconds they walked like that, each holding onto the other.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 15**

Arlene POV

6 June 1944

She sucked in her breath and dug her finger into the soft, moist dirt as if to hold onto the earth itself. Thousands of tracer rounds marked the paths of the German gunfire aimed at the Allied airplanes and the men floating to the ground underneath their white parachute canopies. The deep rumble of German artillery reverberated inside her head, and after every thunderous strike she anxiously waited to see if a shell had found a target. When a plane high above her head burst into flames and violently careened towards the ground she swallowed down the bile rising in her throat as she thought of the men trapped inside.

The invasion of Europe had truly begun, and from where she was crouched in the mud it was a terrifying sight.

For just over a week they'd known the exact date of the invasion, well that was before it had been pushed out by one night due to bad weather. She could still remember the relief that had washed over her as Jessica had told her the news. Finally they would be able to stop skulking around in the shadows and be reunited with their friends.

Jessica had smiled at her, clearly she didn't hide her feelings well when it wasn't part of her immediate survival.

"We get to see our boys again. I really didn't think I'd miss them as much as I did," she'd mused.

Jessica shrugged. "They do make things more exciting."

She'd raised an eyebrow, they'd been working behind enemy lines for months and her friend felt she'd missed out on excitement.

"Shut up," Jessica had retorted, busying herself by sharpening the knife she'd been gifted by Ron.

"So, which one's it going to be?" she'd asked, casually pointing between the knife in her hand and the compass around her neck.

Without stopping what she was doing Jessica had simply replied, "Whoever can keep up with me."

She'd rolled her eyes and smirked. Leave it to her friend to come up with a witty one liner instead of answering a simple question.

"Are you going to talk to Joe when you see him?" Jessica had asked, effectively turning the tables on her.

When she hadn't replied after a few heartbeats her friend had sighed dramatically and put her knife down. She'd turned in her chair so she was fully facing her and said, "This isn't the same as Michael."

She'd flinched and crossed her arms over her chest, but Jessica had simply pressed on. "The way I see it you have three options. One, you ask me to kill Joe for you and make it look like an accident. Now I'm not fully against this idea, but I'd prefer not to."

She'd simply shaken her head, but the smile on the corner of her lips had urged Jessica on.

"Option two, you completely forget about the man and when you see him again, if both of you are able to stay alive long enough that is, you are able to function as if nothing ever happened. Now, I know this seems like a good option, but you and I both know it's not feasible. If it all meant nothing to you, we wouldn't be having this conversation to begin with."

"And the third option?"

"You call him out on his bullshit and give him a chance to explain. And then you give him a chance to call you out on yours, and you give him an honest answer in return."

"Excuse me?"

"Arlene, I love you, I would seriously help you dispose of a body."

"Wait, I thought you'd kill Joe for me?"

"Same-same," Jessica had replied, waving her off with a casual flick of her wrist, "Now as I was saying. You can be stubborn as all hell, and I get the feeling Joe may be your equal in that regard. Now he ditched you and you left him in a hotel room, so from my perspective you both seem kinda even."

She'd tried to speak but Jessica had simply continued as if she wasn't even there. "I know Michael broke your heart and destroyed your faith and trust, and maybe things don't go any further with Joe, but he means something to you, so you need to talk to him."

She'd stayed quiet for a while after that, arms still crossed over her chest as she'd mulled over Jessica's words.

"If we both survive long enough," she'd finally said, repeating Jessica's earlier sentiment.

Her friend had leaned back in her chair and started sharpening her knife again. "And that is one hell of an if."

As she waited for their signal to move she remembered that earlier conversation in painstaking detail. She knew Jessica was right, she'd known it for months, but as her friend had pointed out she was stubborn and her pride had been badly bruised by Joe, not to mention the bruising her heart had taken.

She was so deep in thought that when Jessica whispered, "You ready?" in her ear she nearly jumped out of her skin.

She shot her friend a dirty look which the blonde simply pretended not to see in the dark.

Their assignment for the evening was relatively straightforward. Wait for the pathfinder team they'd been assigned to. Help them prepare their allocated drop zones and then wait for their team to drop in along with the rest of Easy.

The first part of their assignment had gone down without any major drama, but she couldn't shake the unsettled feeling in her stomach that that was going to be the only easy part. And as she watched thousands of men falling from the sky, none of them near their drop zone, her stomach sank even further.

Joe POV

"Jesus Christ," he swore under his breath as another artillery round went off near their plane, flinging him into the man in-front of him.

He felt someone grab his chute and yank him upright, but in the confusion he didn't know who it was, so he just shot a "thanks" in the general direction of the men behind him.

"We get any lower, we ain't gonna need any frigging parachutes!" Skip shouted over the deafening noise.

Skip was right, they were going too fast and were lower than usual. But standing inside that plane, waiting for the order to jump, he couldn't think of a better plan than getting the hell out of the flying death-trap.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath to try and push the fear and nausea down that were slowly threatening to overwhelm him.

Out of nowhere Arlene's emerald green eyes danced before him. Two dark pools that were steady and calm. The sounds of men cursing and shouting, gunfire going off all around them as shell after shell exploded nearby faded away as more of her face came into focus.

She smiled at him, the smallest curve of her ruby red lips that twinkled in her eyes. "Time to go," she said, her voice sounding far away.

"Let's go!" Winters' shout shattered the spell and suddenly Arlene was gone and the world around him came rushing back.

His eyes snapped open in time to see their Lieutenant disappear out the door. He shuffled forward quickly and when his turn came he simply stepped into the air, his years of training taking over in that moment where thinking too much probably wasn't a good idea.

The sight that met him outside the plane was as awesome and terrifying as it had sounded. Thousands of white parachutes dotted the night's sky as tracers zipped between them. A plane that had taken a hit from an artillery round and burst into flames was plummeting to earth, a trail of fire and men following its path.

He was so transfixed by the horrific sight that he didn't see the tracer rounds coming right for him until they were whizzing past his ears. He snapped to and tried frantically to steer his chute away from the bullets, but he was too late. The sound of fabric tearing stopped his heart in his chest. Looking up he saw a gaping hole in the chute, wind rushing through the gap as the fabric strained against the pressure.

He could feel his descent speeding up alarmingly, and looking down he found the ground fast approaching, but by some miracle he'd stumble upon a small clearing in the surrounding forests.

Bracing his body for impact he landed hard, but rolled through his ankles and onto his side to try and absorb the impact. He huffed and moaned as the landing drove the wind out of his lungs and his white chute tangled around him.

As he lay on the ground, gasping for air, his brain screamed at him to move. He knew that whomever had shot at him would come looking for him sooner or later, and he was in no position at the moment to fend off an attack.

Even covered in the chute he was able to pull is knees up, pumping them back and forth a few times until he could breathe again. He scanned his body, but either by sheer luck or due to the surge of adrenaline he couldn't find any major concerns.

Happy that nothing was broken, or at least not badly enough to incapacitate him at that moment he scrambled to free himself of his white cocoon. Staying in a low crouch he gripped his rifle in his hands, the familiar weight settling his nerves a fraction. He listened intently and scanned the surrounding trees for signs of the enemy. Sporadic gunfire erupted to his left and he could see tracer rounds racing into the sky.

He searched the immediate area leading away from the gunfire. He couldn't make out any landmarks to indicate where he was, but he also couldn't see enemy soldiers, so he decided that for the moment at least, that was his best bet.

Staying as low to the ground as possible he jogged over to the cover the forest provided. Reaching the edge he paused and scanned the darker interior, eyes straining for any signs of friends or foe, but coming up empty on all counts.

Of its own accord his brain reminded him that Arlene was, more likely than not, somewhere out in the dark, in the same mess he was. He clenched his jaw at the thought, his hands tightening their hold on the rifle.

 _God, please let her be alive._

Jessica POV

 _Well, this has turned into a royal fucking nightmare,_ she thought.

Their assignment had sounded so easy, but it had quickly become painfully clear the plan had to change. The Allied invasion was sustaining heavy German resistance and therefore most of the men jumping into France had missed their drop zones. This meant their assignment to hook-up with their men at theirs was now officially null-and-void.

"We need a new plan," Arlene whispered next to her.

They were in a small group consisting of a two French resistance members and a handful of American pathfinders. In an ideal world they would all stay together, but the pathfinders had their own mission to fulfil and she knew the resistance members weren't interested in following two American women into combat.

They were well hidden at the foot of a large hedgerow, peering through the thick branches at the Germans moving about a hundred or so yards from them.

She nodded, making up her mind. She pushed herself away from the hedge so she could see most of their party.

"Right," she whispered and everyone turned their attention to her, even if they kept one eyes fixed on the enemy.

"We're no longer going to hook-up with our men at their DZ," she started, Arlene softly translating her words into French, "therefore we're going to have to split up."

Some of the men shifted their weight uncomfortably, glancing at one another. She ignored them, now wasn't the time for indecisiveness. "The two of us are going to Brecourt Manor a few miles from here. That was our alternative rendezvous point with our unit. I assume you," she glanced at the lieutenant in-charge of the pathfinders, "have your own mission?"

"Yes ma'am," the burly lieutenant replied. He'd been briefed on her rank beforehand, addressing her as Captain when they'd first met. It had been a relief, one less thing to worry about on a night that already had enough to deal with.

"Then this is where our paths split," she turned to look at Pierre, "Do you wish to come with us?"

He exchanged a quick look with his compatriot before answering, "No, we have somewhere else we need to be."

She nodded, but still felt disappointed. Pierre had been one of the few constants during their time in France and she'd hoped for a chance to properly say goodbye to him. "Right, then this is where we leave you."

Pierre grabbed her forearm and pinned her down with his dark brown eyes. "You are a true daughter of the resistance. Be safe."

The corner of her lips turned up into the start of a smile. "Fight bravely my friend, but not foolishly. Thank you for everything."

After one firm nod and squeeze of her arm he let go, proceeding to say farewell to Arlene.

"Right lieutenant. Good luck," she said as a way of goodbye to the pathfinders.

"The same to you two, ma'am."

Staying on her stomach she pushed herself further away from the hedge until she felt comfortable enough to rise onto her knees. Sitting upright she adjusted her hold on her rifle and waited for Arlene.

All their gear was supposed to be coming with their men, but the French had been kind enough to give them each a rifle they'd hidden from the Germans along with a few rounds. Together with the sidearm they'd snuck into France and their knives they were reasonably well armed all things considered. Of course she'd feel a lot better once she had a uniform back on again, there was something quite unnerving about being a civilian in the middle of a warzone.

Arlene shuffled backwards until she was next to her. Her friend quickly rose onto her haunches and tapped her on the shoulder to show she was ready to move out. Silently they crept through the surrounding darkness, melting into the shadows as they made their way to Brecourt, where she hoped and prayed her friends would be waiting for them.

Arlene POV

It had been a good few hours since they'd left the men and so far they'd been able to dodge Germans as well as miss all the Americans. The last part made her increasingly nervous, the horrible thought that only a small handful had survived the drops refusing to go away.

She once again pushed the thought aside and focused on Jessica's hunched over form in-front of her. After years of working and fighting alongside one another they'd found an easy routine that played to both their strengths. Jessica would lead the way, her sense of direction freakishly accurate, while she scanned their surroundings, her senses tuned in to every movement and sound. This was the easiest way for them to make good time while staying alive.

Suddenly Jessica dropped to one knee, rifle raised. Her body followed before her mind could process the change. For a second there was an unnatural silence, but then she heard it. A whispered conversation being carried over to them by the evening breeze. She strained to make out the words.

"German" she whispered in Jessica's ear who simply nodded her agreement.

From what she could hear the voices, three or four of them, were coming right from the path they were taking. She searched for an alternative route when she heard other voices coming from their right. They were possibly further away, but she could clearly distinguish the rough German dialect now that her brain was attuned to it.

She tapped Jessica's shoulder and pointed in the direction of the second set of voices. Her friend quirked her head to that side and nodded when she heard them.

The distinctive sound of a twig snapping under a heavy boot only a few feet from them made them both snap their heads forward.

"Arrogant bastards," Jessica hissed.

They had seconds to come up with a plan and she didn't like any of them.

They could retrace their steps and try to find a way around the enemy soldiers, but there was no guarantee they'd find a path and dawn had to be close, moving around during the day would be considerably more difficult and dangerous.

Going left was out of the question, a German held town lay that way and they'd already heard heavy gunfire coming from that direction.

So only right or straight ahead remained. _Fan-frikken-tastic._

"Come," Jessica whispered, pointing her rifle in the direction of a thick hedge ahead and to the left.

She followed and soon they were lying flat on the ground, bodies pressed into the damp ground, as they peered through the thick brush waiting for the Germans to come into view.

Her heart pounded in her ears, each beat almost in time with the passing seconds, each one brining the enemy voices closer and closer.

"If they spot us, shoot and move. We're going for quick, not quiet," Jessica instructed.

She gave one nod to show she'd heard and understood, the steely quality to her friend's voice further strengthen her resolve.

It felt like hours passed as they lay there, but in fact it was probably only a few second before the first German boots came into view. She counted three pairs initially, but they were quickly joined by two more.

From her position under the hedge it was difficult to see the men's faces unless she shifted her body, and there was no chance she was going to do that. So she settled for watching them from the waist down, waiting for any signs that they'd been discovered.

The conversation was familiar but formal at the same time. The men, despite their apparent confidence that no enemy soldiers were close by, relayed intelligence quickly and efficiently.

They were part of the company holding the nearby town and had been sent on patrols. The good news was, despite their current predicament, these seemed to be the only Germans nearby. Also, they were only three miles or so away from Brecourt which had already been secured by the Allied army.

The bad news was that all six men were heading straight for their hiding place. Her muscles tightened, wounding themselves into cords ready to react. She felt Jessica tense next to her, neither one daring to breathe. The enemy soldiers were relaxed, far more than they should be considering the invasion of Europe had begun. They casually ambled closer and closer to them, sharing a few cigarettes between them, the smoke irritating her nose.

She pushed her tongue into the roof of her mouth, hoping the pressure would stop the sneeze that was slowly building up in her nose.

 _Not now, not now. You are not going to sneeze you hear me. You will not sneeze_.

A heavy boot fell right next to her head, the earth making a sickly squelching sound as the soldier transferred his weight through his foot. The group of men were passing right past their hedge on their way back to town, mere inches from their hiding place. If any one of them looked down and into the hedge, even a casual glance, their position would be given away.

One of the men barked a laugh and her breath hitched. She swore she felt Jessica flinch next to her.

She counted the boots that passed her face, unable to turn her head to follow the men least the movement catch their attention.

 _One set, two sets, three and four. C'mon, what the hell is taking the others so long?_

She couldn't hear any of the voices clearly anymore. The voices of the four men that had passed were fading into hum she could barely make out over the constant gunfire. She tried, and failed to locate the voices of the other two soldiers, and from her position on the ground she could no longer see their feet.

With one sharp tap on her shoulder Jessica caught her attention. She turned her head in time to see her friend indicate to her other side and a little ahead.

The two men were scanning the area, turning in a slow circle back to back, their rifles raised and ready.

She did her best to steady her breathing and bring her heart rate down, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins made her muscles vibrate from all the pent-up energy.

One of the men paused just as his turn brought him facing their hiding spot. He turned his head to the side and stared right at her. She was sure he could see her, or the glint from her rifle. He took one small step forward and peered deeper into the darkness that enveloped her and Jessica.

Her finger tightened around the trigger of her rifle as she mentally prepared herself to shoot and run.

The soldier paused as a shout rose up behind them from the directing of the town. Both men straightened and hesitated for a moment until another frantic shout for help shocked them into action. The two men sprinted past them, whatever the one had seen in the shadows forgotten.

They stayed still for a number of minutes, every sense straining to make out some logic from the sounds of battle raging all around them.

"C'mon," Jessica finally said, tapping her shoulder as she pushed herself upright.

Staying as low as possible for the first few yards they slowly made their way to Brecourt. Once well clear of the their hiding place and the Germans, they straightened out and broke into a jog, throwing caution to the wind in a bid to reach some friendly faces.

Richard POV

He'd never been so glad to see American soldiers as he was when they finally reached Bercourt. It had been a harrowing night and the uncertainly of what, or who, they would find weighed heavily on his shoulders.

He'd been fortunate enough to land with a paratrooper from Able Company, Hall, and soon they'd linked up with Sergeant Lipton and two men from the 82nd. Everyone it seemed had missed their drop zones, and that was the best case scenario. Before dawn they'd met Bill Guarnere, Toye and Malarkey.

Their evening had become even more eventful when they'd ambushed a German supply cart and a handful of enemy soldiers. It had been an easy ambush, but Guarnere had disobeyed a direct order and fired at the enemy before he'd given the signal.

He'd reprimanded the sergeant, but he didn't miss the look the other man had shot his way. He was all too aware of the fact that some of the men thought the fact that he didn't drink made him somehow unable to lead them in battle. They'd hated Sobel and distrusted him, but they didn't necessarily think he was hard enough to get them through the war.

Bill Guarnere was one of those men. He tried to push the thought aside, if he was going to prove the popular sergeant wrong he had to maintain his focus and project a certain air of confidence. He was also aware of the fact that Bill's brother had died fighting in Italy, and he'd received the news just before they'd jumped.

 _A perfect storm_ , he'd thought as they'd left the dead German's behind them and continued on their way.

"Morning, sir. Battalion sure will be happy to see you guys," a soldier guarding a dozen or so prisoners greeted them.

"Where?" he asked.

"At the farm, sir," the young man replied, jerking his rifle down the road they were on.

He picked up his pace, a sudden wave of anxious anticipation washing over him. After hours spent wondering what had happened to his men he was finally about to find out. And he didn't know which one was worse.

"Richard?" the voice stopped him dead in his tracks and his heart stopped beating.

He slowly turned in its direction and when he saw Jessica standing on the side of the road, surrounded by some of her own men, his heart sprang back to life, straining against his ribcage.

She was covered in mud, and her brown civilian clothing had taken on a very natural hue. Her blonde hair was hidden underneath a men's cap and she had a rifle casually slung over her shoulder. Her blue eyes sparkled in the early morning sun as she almost skipped over to him.

 _God she's beautiful._

"Richard, are you okay?" she asked, coming to stand so close to him she had to look up at him through her impossibly long lashes.

"What are you doing here?" were the first words his dazed brain was able to articulate and as soon as he saw her frown he mentally kicked herself.

"I mean, I just….it's good to see you. Not now, or I mean not here. I'm going to shut-up now," he finally gave up, looking around to see who had witnessed the way he'd just put his foot in his mouth.

Luckily the men had either continued on their way into town or stopped to talk to the rest of Jessica's team, he was particularly surprised to see how Malarkey and Guarnere were embracing Arlene.

A small hand settled on his forearm, pulling his eyes back to Jessica's. She was smiling up at him, a soft smile that wiped years from her tired face. "I hate seeing you here, but it's very good to see you too Richard."

He felt his lips move up into a smile and his shoulders relaxed for the first time since they'd boarded the planes in England. "Sorry, it's been a long night and I didn't expect to see you here. Don't tell Nix?"

She giggled. "Oh, you mean don't tell him how you weren't happy to see me?"

He cleared his throat as a blush warmed his cheeks. "That's not what I meant."

She softly pushed his shoulder. "I know. It's been one hell of a night. I won't tell Nix. Not immediately at least."

"Fair enough. He'll probably figure it out anyway once he gets here."

"He's coming in with the landings, right?"

He nodded.

"Well, I need to get to the farm so we can change and meet up with Battalion. You heading my way?"

"Why yes I am."

"Arlene," Jessica called to her friend.

The brunette held up her hand to still the men around her. "Let's move. We need to change and get our orders. John, show us where we need to go."

The very young lieutenant nodded and said something to those around him. "Who's missing?" he asked as they walked side-by-side down the muddy road.

"Clark, Alex and three replacements. Considering how your jumps went I'm surprised so many of them are here already."

He caught the implications behind her words and looked over to her. "How our jumps went? How long have you been in France?"

She scrunched up her face as she looked up at him. "Shit, I need sleep. You're not going to pretend you didn't catch that, are you?"

"No," he replied.

"Damn, oh well, I suppose it can't do much harm now. Just promise not to tell anyone. Even Nix."

"Trust me, he's probably already figured most of it out. He was like a bloodhound when you two suddenly up and left."

She smirked. "Sounds 'bout right."

"So?" he asked, curiosity making him drum his fingers against the butt of his rifle.

"You know, for a man that hasn't slept, you are far too perceptive."

He chuckled.

"You know the SOE?"

"The British Intelligence?"

"Mmm…part of it. Over the years we've worked with them. They had a shortage of female agents in the field and asked us to temporarily assist. The day we left Aldbourne? We dropped into France that evening."

His stomach did a somersault, but he kept his features passive. "We guessed as much by the way Clark and the men looked after you'd left."

She was quiet for a moment. "The next time I'm playing poker against those men, I'm taking them for all they're worth."

The closer they got to the very large farm house the stronger the stench of rotting meat got. He glanced down at Jessica to see her scrunching up her nose. He was about to comment on the smell when the origin came into view. The main road leading into the large farm complex had been blocked with dead horses.

A sadness momentarily clouded Jessica's eyes as her steps slowed. "I hate it when the animals suffer. I know it's war and all but, they just seem so helpless and it always makes me sad."

He stared at her, both fighting the urge to wrap her up in his arms and amazed at how innocent and she sounded. This woman who had spent months in occupied France risking her life every day, who was covered in mud and carrying a rifle managed to be soft in a hard place.

"I'm sorry," he said, unsure what to do but needing to do something for her.

She sighed. "War is such a waste."

"It is," he replied solemnly.

They'd just passed the horses when Jessica suddenly stopped. "Our things are over there," she explained, glancing to a small stone building where her men were waiting. "As luck would have it, John was in-charge of making sure it all got to France."

"That worked out well."

"What can I say, I'm a lucky girl."

He glanced down the road to where soldiers were lying against a grass embankment and he swore he spotted Buck's white blond hair. "I should go," he said without moving.

"Me to," she replied.

He reached for her hand and clasped two fingers between his own. "I really am happy to see you."

She stepped closer to him. "Me to," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

With the faintest of smiles she pulled away and walked to her men. He watched her for a moment before continuing on his way. As always Jessica King had found a way to get under his skin, and if he was honest with himself, he was happier for it.

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Hello! Gosh, another week and another chapter down. Where is this year going? I just realized it's almost October...crazy!_

 _Anywho! I hope you all had a great week and a relaxing weekend. For all the continued support thanks you, thank you, thank you! To all my amazing reviewers, you make my day! And for everyone that keeps coming back to the story, adding it to alerts and favorites, you rock!_


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 16**

Joe POV

Sitting on the grassy bank at Brecourt with the handful of Easy men that had made it so far, he subtly scanned the face of each new arrival, the knot in his stomach tightening with every unfamiliar face.

 _C'mon, c'mon, c'mon_.

He sighed and lit his fourth cigarette in the last hour. He needed to be careful or he'd run out before the day was done.

When he'd arrived at Brecourt he'd half expected Easy to be waiting for him, ready to give him grief for being late. He'd very quickly realised he was one of the first to make it. As men had trickled in, some from Easy but most from other Companies, he'd started to keep a mental list, matching names and faces.

John and two replacements had been the first to arrive from Arlene's team. They'd asked around, but no one had seen the rest of the men or either woman.

 _Where are you?_

He was about to go find John to ask him what he knew, an awkward conversation he wasn't really looking forward to, when another group of soldiers entered his field of vision. This time he recognised the faces and was immediately on his feet, cigarette thrown to the ground.

"Easy Company!" he greeted the men, clasping Popeye's hand.

He quickly ticked a few names off of his list, Guarnere, Popeye, Toye, Lipton and Winters.

"So nice of you to join us," he said.

"Yeah-yeah, while you were getting some beauty sleep we were actually doing work," Guarnere retorted.

He rolled his eyes. "You see anybody else?"

Bill nodded as he waited for Toye to light the cigarette stuck between his lips.

"Ran into Arlene and Captain King on the way in," Toye answered, flipping his lighter closed.

Before he could stop himself he asked, "Where? When?"

Guarnere and Toye shared a look. "Just as we came in. John had stopped them as they'd come in. They haven't been here long," Guarnere said.

He nodded and casually looked over the men's heads in the direction from where they'd come.

Guarnere smirked. "She's changing."

"What?"

"They were wearing civilian clothes. Their boys brought their kit," Guarnere clarified.

"They're over there," Toye said, pointing towards a small cluster of what looked like sheds.

He pursed his lips and nodded, firmly planting his feet into the ground so they didn't move of their own free will.

"Oh for God's sake!" Guarnere exclaimed, throwing his head back as if saying something to heaven.

Dropping his head back so they're eyes met he said, "Just go you schmuck. We'll call ya if we need ya."

He was about to come up with an excuse about why he couldn't go when a deep, loud bang sounded nearby.

 _Now or never Liebgott._

"Call me," he said, poking Guarnere in the chest to emphasize the point.

"Yeah-yeah."

He found the building where Arlene was easily enough. John and two replacements were keeping watch in-front of the door. The three men were casually leaning against the building, smoking and talking, but there eyes were constantly flicking from one soldier to the next, scanning for threats.

He approached slowly, pretty sure he was classified as a threat.

One of the replacements, Parker, was the first to spot him. The man pushed himself off of the building and firmly planted himself so he blocked the path to the door.

"What do you want? No one from Easy's here."

He sighed, this wasn't the kind of fight he'd come to France for.

"Listen, I'm not here to cause trouble."

The man scoffed and took a step forward, but that didn't stop him. He'd come to see Arlene, he'd promised himself he was going to make things right and this was as good a place as any to start.

He stopped only a few inches away from Parker, but the man was completely unyielding.

"Do I even want to know what's going on here?" Jessica's voice broke their stalemate.

Parker turned so he was facing his superior and he could see the blonde woman for the first time. If she'd been wearing civilian clothing it was gone now, replaced by a very clean American Airborne uniform. Her blonde hair was hanging in a long braid over her shoulder as she clutched her helmet underneath one arm.

"Well?" she asked again.

"Liebgott was just leaving ma'am," Parker answered.

He could see John smirk, but couldn't decide if that was a good or a bad sign.

"Really? So he walked all the way over here for no reason other than to leave?"

"Umm…well…."

Jessica held her sergeant's gaze and the man quickly abandoned whatever story he was trying to come up with, instead shutting his mouth with an audible snap.

"Listen, all of you," the woman said, looking between all the men, "unless the person is a German soldier, you will not be fighting them. Clear?"

"Yes ma'am," they all said.

"Good, and now if anybody feels the urge to disobey this order, they can come and pick a fight with me. But you should know, I fight dirty and I fight to win. Questions?"

He shook his head and her men quickly replied with a crisp, "no ma'am." There was something in the metallic glint of her eye that made him swallow hard.

"John," she called her lieutenant without looking over her shoulder.

"Ma'am," the man said, moving so he was standing beside her.

As she put her helmet on, and without looking at John, she said, "You're an officer. You are held accountable for your men's actions."

John's jaw tensed and he nodded. "I know. It won't happen again."

"Good. The four of us will head to Battalion HQ, Arlene will catch up."

"C'mon," John said and the other two men followed close behind.

Jessica waited a moment. Studying him her light blue eyes bore holes into his head. As soon as her men were out of earshot she said, "We're a family. We look out for one another. You crossed Arlene which means you crossed all of us."

He was about to say something when she fixed him with her cold eyes and his words vanished.

She started to walk, only stopping when she was at his shoulder. He looked down at her, his nerves on end. "Make it right or walk away, because those are the only two options available to you, trust me."

He breathed deeply. "I choose option one."

Her lips twitched into the barest of smiles. "Glad you made it Joe."

"You to ma'am," he stammered.

Jessica glanced over her shoulder and he followed her gaze. Arlene was standing in the doorway of the shed. Her uniform was the same as Jessica's and her dark locks were already well hidden beneath her helmet. The uniform hadn't been tailored for her so it hung loose on her slender frame, but he guessed that was the point.

"Two minutes," Jessica said to her friend.

Fixing him with one final look the blonde Captain left, leaving him alone with Arlene.

Arlene confidently closed the gap between them, stopping within his reach, but folding her arms over her chest. "Glad to see you made it," she said, her expression unreadable.

"You too. When did you get here?"

"France or Brecourt?"

He huffed an anxious laugh. "Both."

"New Year's eve and maybe half an hour."

He looked away from her. He had to stall so his brain could get some time to process the new information.

"You don't look surprised," she said, forcing him to look back to her.

"We had our suspicions. Luz even started a betting pool on which country you were in. Only two guys guessed England."

She smiled, her emerald green eyes softening for the first time. "What did you bet?"

"England."

She quirked her head to one side, an amused glimmer in her eyes.

He shrugged. "Guess that's what I wanted to be true."

She bit her lower lip and an awkward silence fell between them.

He cleared his throat as he mustered up his courage. _Jumping out of a plane was easier._

She raised one eyebrow.

"I need more than two minutes to say everything."

She nodded.

"But for a start I just needed to see you. I needed to know that you're still alive. And I had to find out if I still have time?"

Arlene's eyes searched his and he hoped she found whatever it was she was looking for. "For now let's take it one step at a time. Starting with both of us making it through today."

He nodded, unsure if her answer meant he still had a chance or not.

She reached over and grabbed his bicep. Squeezing it she said, "Find me later."

"I will," he promised.

She let go of his arm and walked past him. He didn't turn to follow her, he didn't even think about doing it, his mind was too busy burning the feeling of her hand on his arm into his memory.

After a minute or two of him just standing there in a daze he noticed a few soldiers giving him odd looks. He smirked at them and they quickly turned away.

"So, just don't die," he mumbled under his breath as he walked back to his friends. "Should be easy."

Jessica POV

Trudging through the mud to Battalion HQ she resisted the urge to look over her shoulder. She was terribly curious and desperately wanted to see what was happening with Arlene and Joe, but she'd promised to give them some privacy.

 _I'll just get all the details from her later. Yay for pleasant distractions._

She felt rather pleased with herself for successfully convincing Arlene to hear Joe out. She didn't want to see her friend get hurt, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that the two of them were supposed to be together.

A soldier walked past her, so close their sleeves touched. She was about to say something when she recognised the familiar set of his shoulders.

"Ron?"

The man paused and and titled his head to one side as if he were trying to find the source of the sound.

"I swear, this time I'm not a figment of your imagination," she said as she moved so they were facing.

His eyes were hard and a thin trail of smoke escaped from between his lips to clouded the air between them.

"So you are here. I'd heard a rumour," he said.

She felt herself frown. Sure, not every reunion was going to be hugs and kisses, okay, none of them were here, but right now she honestly felt he didn't give two cents about seeing her alive. "Well it's nice to see you too Ron. Glad you're still alive and all that."

He smirked, his eyes deftly flicking over her body.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

His dark eyes shot back to hers. "I'm fine. Made the jump, my men are trickling in and finally I get to do what I've been training for, for years."

She narrowed her eyes and gave him a thin smile. "I see. Glad things are going your way. See you round."

She'd already turned to leave when she looked over her shoulder. "Oh, by the way, thanks for the knife. It came in handy."

His lips parted as if he was about to say something, but whatever it was she wasn't planning on hanging around to hear it. She'd never understood why the men were afraid of him until that moment. Although his sudden change of attitude didn't inspire fear in her, just a healthy dose of 'screw you'.

With her head down and indignation building up inside of her she nearly broke the hand that suddenly appeared on her arm.

She stopped dead, mud splattering onto her clean uniform as she slowly followed the line of the hand all the way to the owner's face. A corporal stood staring at her with wide eyes, seemingly frozen in place.

"Yes?" she asked.

The man swallowed and blinked. His eyes darted from her face to the hand that was still on her arm and back again. He slowly removed it, as if any sudden movements would startle her. "Sorry ma'am. I called, but I guess you couldn't hear me over the ruckus."

She took a deep breath and tried to rearrange her features into something marginally less deadly. "It's fine corporal, but a word of advice. Don't unexpectedly grab someone that's carrying a few guns."

The man cracked a small smile, relief softening the lines on his forehead. "I'll keep that in mind ma'am."

"So what can I help you with?"

"Oh, Major Strayer is looking for you at Battalion HQ."

"That works out well, I was just on my way there. Thank you Corporal."

"Sure thing, ma'am."

She gave the man a small smile before continuing on her way, hoping the gesture would go some way to putting him at ease.

Entering the barn that served as Battalion HQ she quickly spotted her men loitering off to one side, quietly talking amongst themselves as they shared a smoke. She nodded to them before scanning the room for Major Strayer. It didn't take her long to spot him talking to Richard, both men hunched over a map that had been placed on top of a stack of hay bales.

"Gentlemen," she said, stopping on the opposite side of the bales.

Strayer looked up from the map and gave her a small nod. The major was of average height with reddish blonde hair and a light beard that matched. She liked the man well enough and to date he'd treated her team well.

"Glad to see you made the jump, sir," she said, eyes skimming the map.

"Glad you survived your time in France. From what I heard the Red Devils kept you busy."

"Rather that, than wait around for all of you join the party."

"Well here we are, just in time for the main event. Shall we?" he asked, pointing to the map.

She gave one nod to show she was ready to start and waited for the men to bring her up to speed.

"Right," the major started, pointing to a line someone had drawn on the map, "there's some Kraut 88's up ahead and to the right about 300 yards from our position."

She pursed her lips as she studied the map and drawn in enemy positions. "They're firing on the landings," she stated.

"Yes they are. They're between us and Causeway number 2 and they're giving the boys hell. Easy is going to handle it."

She looked up from the map, catching Richard's eye. His jaw was set and his eyes were determined and calm despite the potential dangers the mission held.

"I want your team to assist Easy with the assault. Now, Captain Clark isn't here yet, so you're the ranking officer. You in?"

"We didn't come all this way so sun ourselves Major. Time to get to work."

"Good. Dick," the major slapped Richard's shoulder, "get it done."

"Yes, sir."

Strayer left, called away by one of his orderlies. Richard waited a beat, his brow furrowed as his lips worked, before saying, "I know you're the ranking officer."

She cut him off, knowing full well where this was going and hoping to avoid the unnecessarily awkward conversation. "We're here to assist Easy, it's your operation. You tell me what you need."

He exhaled loudly, his chest falling is if he'd been holding his breath for a while. She gave him a lopsided grin which he returned before they both switched gears again.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked.

Richard took her through his plan and she listened intently. Since they'd first started training with Easy she'd noted that Richard was a natural leader and skilled tactician. He could think on his feet, was brave without being reckless, and most importantly he didn't expect anything of his men he wasn't willing to do himself. In that moment she was immensely relieved to see that those months in England hadn't been a fluke, but merely a precursor.

When he was done laying out his plan he looked up, his crystal blue eyes expectantly watching her. She nodded, lower lip between her teeth as she ran every option over in her head.

"Well?" he asked.

Pointing to the treeline overlooking the German position she said, "I'd see if there's a perch where two members from my team can set up. One sniper and one man to watch his back. Other than that," she looked up from the map, "it sounds good."

He nodded once.

"I'll be coming with you."

His brow furrowed for a moment, but whatever objections he had he quickly set them aside, conceding with a reluctant "Okay".

Moments later Richard was repeating his plan to their assembled men. Looking around the group she noticed how painfully few of them had made it so far. She half expected to find Clark and Alex amongst the faces, and when she didn't she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that made its way into her chest.

She pushed the feeling down, instead focusing all her energy on Richard's briefing.

"There are two guns that we know of firing on Utah Beach," Richard said, drawing an X on the map to show their expected positions. "Plan on a third and a fourth here and here."

He briefly glanced up before continuing, "The Germans are in the trenches with access to the entire battery, with machine guns covering their rear."

"We'll establish a base of fire and move under it hard and fast. Captain King's team will leave a sniper team with our base to provide additional support."

Some of the Easy men glanced in her direction at the mention of her name. John looked around their team, they both knew he was the sniper she'd leave behind, so he got to choose his companion.

"How many Krauts do you think we're facing?" Guarnere asked.

She noticed the tension in his shoulders and the set to his jaw. There was something more to him than steely determination, and by the way he was looking at Richard she sensed something more was going on. She made a mental note to ask Richard or Arlene about it, and glancing over to her best friend she found her staring at Guarnere with narrow eyes.

Richard held his sergeant's scowl and replied, "No idea."

"No idea?" Guarnere repeated the answer and Arlene's one eyebrow shot up.

 _So she doesn't know what's going yet, but she will._

Richard ignored him. "We'll take some TNT along with us to spike the guns. Lipton," he pointed to the sergeant, "your responsibility."

The level-headed sergeant simply replied, "Yes, sir."

"Liebgott, you'll take the machine gun with Petty A-gunner. Plesha and Hendrix," Richard looked over to two Easy members she barely recognised, "you take the other. Who does that leave?"

The remaining men put up their hands. "Compton, Malarkey, Toye and Guarnere. Okay, we'll make the main assault along with Captain King's team."

Taking her cue she said, "Right, John you'll act as the sniper. Who do you want?"

"Hunt."

"Right, Hunt you're with Lieutenant Green. Walker and Parker you're with me on the main assault. Lieutenant Winters is in-charge."

"Yes, ma'am" her team replied.

"Weapons and ammo only. Bring all the spare you have."

"Everyone understood?" Richard asked the assembled men who all nodded.

"All right, let's pack it up, boys," Lipton said, effectively ending the briefing.

Walking past the sergeant she slapped him on the shoulder. She knew a good soldier when she saw one, and more importantly a good leader that would take care of the men, and Carwood Lipton was one such man.

They dumped all their packs and unnecessary kit in one heap, the men threatening the surrounding soldiers with a pain worse than death if anything went missing.

"John, Hunt," she called her sniper team.

"Ma'am?" Hunt replied, John looking over to her expectantly.

"You have any grenades?"

"Two," John replied, quickly followed by a "one" from Hunt.

"Give one to each of us. You won't need them right now."

The two men did as they were told, and she clipped her extra grenade onto her belt.

"Nice grenade," Buck said, eyeing her belt which already held two other grenades.

She smiled. "A girl can never have too many explosives."

He rewarded her with a lopsided smile. "I'll keep that in mind when Christmas rolls around."

She gave a little huff of a laugh, giving herself one final check to make sure she had everything.

"Ready?" Richard asked her.

She glanced over to him. "Always."

She thought she saw him roll his eyes and smirk.

Richard did one final assessment of the men before shouting, "Compton, 2nd Squad!"

"Yes, sir!" Buck replied.

"All right, you heard the word. Let's move," Lipton relayed the order to the rest of the men.

The Easy men moved out and her team seamlessly blended in with them. She hung back for a moment, watching them move out. She and Arlene had been away from the men for months and in that time they'd spent almost every day with Easy, training or socialising. In that moment she could see it. They trusted each other, despite their differences and whatever issues they had.

Joe POV

As the assault party neared the German position he stole a look at Arlene. Her dark eyes were consistently scanning every shadow, darting every which way. Even through her oversized uniform he could see her muscles were tense with a single minded determination. Nothing about her conveyed fear or even the slightest apprehension.

Her dark eyes fell onto him and he thought he saw her lips twitch upwards, but before his brain could fully register the minute gesture she was looking away from him again.

He turned his eyes away from her and focused them on Lieutenant Winters and Captain King who were leading the party through a series of gardens and hedges.

Three thunderous blasts rang out overhead, temporarily drowning out even the thudding of his own heart in his ears.

 _At least they ain't difficult to find._

Once they reached the final hedge that separated them from the enemy they took the knee, guns trained on the enemy line as they waited for their final orders. His fingers clenched and unclenched around the barrel of the machine gun. This close to the line he could hear the German soldiers shouting to each other. He spoke German, a fact the officers appreciated and some of the men had used to ridicule him when they'd first found out about it. Idiotically assuming because he spoke German he must sympathise with them. Funnily enough it had been Bill Guarnere that had put a stop to any brewing trouble.

He watched as Sergeant Lipton peered through the rusted wreckage of an old car which was slap-bang in the middle of the natural barrier that separated them from the Germans. The carcass provided the perfect cover with its deep shadows, and he idly wondered how it had ended up here of all places.

He turned away from the officers in time to see Arlene tap John on the shoulder. The young lieutenant followed her line of sight and a satisfied smirk transformed his face. He knew what Arlene had pointed out to him, the abandoned car. With its shadows and the break it had created in the thick foliage it was the perfect sniper's nest. Well, until the first few shots rang out and the enemy found you.

A flash of movement drew his attention and his eyes snapped away from Arlene just in time to see Winters, Jessica and Buck approach.

The three crouched down beside them and Winters ordered, "Liebgott, put down fire here," pointing to a pocket in the hedge.

He crawled forward on his stomach until he could see the German trenches and guns through the thicket. He quickly set up the position, Petty squeezing in next to him, a long string of ammunition in his hand, ready to be fed into the gun.

And then they waited.

Jessica POV

Reaching Arlene and the rest of the men they took the knee.

"Set up in the car," she ordered John.

He nodded and tapped Hunt on the shoulder. She briefly glanced over her shoulder to watch the two men jog in a half-crouch to the wreckage.

She turned back to the group and locked eyes with Richard. His jaw tensed and his hand tightened around the neck of his rifle.

"We'll draw their fire to the right," Richard glanced over to her before turning his attention to Buck, "Buck, take two men and hit them from the left," he ordered.

"Lipton, I want you to take Ranney and envelope right, give covering fire. Don't give away your position until you have to. And I want that TNT as soon as you see we've captured the first gun."

The sergeant nodded.

"Go," Richard said.

"Yes, sir," Lipton replied, leaving to execute his orders.

They cautiously moved into the thicket separating them from the German held position. She found a gap in the foliage, right next to a thin tree trunk. Squeezing herself into the space she studied the enemy position. When the time came they would need to run across a stretch of open field to reach the German trenches.

She took a deep breath, lifted her rifle so the sight was trained on a German helmet and waited. That eerie silence that sometimes preceded a firefight descended over them. She resisted the urge to fidget, waiting wasn't one of her strengths.

Then, as quickly as it had fallen over them, the silence was shattered by machine gun fire. She pulled the trigger and the enemy helmet jerked back before slipping below the rim of the trench. She found her next target and the next.

The enemy returned fire, sending twigs and leaves raining down on them. The cacophony of gunfire was punctuated only by the deep rumble of heavy artillery.

 _Ping._ The sound of her empty clip rang in her ears despite the chaos.

She expertly dumped the empty clip, slammed a new one in and continued the assault.

The Germans rained hell down on them, it was only a matter of time until they found their mark.

 _Where the fuck is Buck?_

The enemy trench exploded and three American soldiers appeared on the horizon before vanishing into the trench.

"Let's go! Lets' go!" Richard shouted.

She shot from her cover, sprinting across the field as bullets bit at her feet and explosions lifted dirt into the air.

She jumped into the trench, hitting the ground hard. A body smacked into her from the left, driving her to the ground.

"Shit!" Malarkey shouted as he got off of her.

She sat up, the man's eyes frantically looking her over. There was a streak of grey over his shoulder.

She lifted her rifle, shouted "Down", and pulled the trigger.

The German slumped to his knees before falling face first into the muddy trench.

She tapped Malarkey's shoulder and got to her feet. From the corner of her eyes she saw him move towards the edge of the trench.

"Grenade!" the warning rang out over the din of the fight.

Soldiers scattered and she grabbed the nearest uniformed body to her and forcefully jerked them backwards. They fell in a tangled mess as the explosion rained dirt and debris down on them.

She coughed as she scrambled to disentangle herself. Free, she looked up to see Richard staring back at her.

"Thanks!"

She nodded, getting to her feet. Their men were firing on the German held positions, they'd taken a section of the trench, now they had to hold it or be outflanked.

She moved behind their line in a half crouch, checking on each soldier. Bullets hit the rim of the trench, kicking dirt into her face and down her collar.

Arlene POV

As her feet hit the bottom of the trench she spun around, throwing herself into the wall of the earthen wall.

Germans were running across the field, desperate to reach the section of the trench not occupied by the Americans.

She found one target and pulled her trigger. The man fell forward as if an invisible hand had shoved him from behind.

The soldier next to her fired at a retreating enemy soldier, shot after shot but missed each one. She took aim and the next moment the man was on the ground.

The unfamiliar soldier avoided looking at her, but she caught Bill's eye and he shook his head.

"Shit, I've been hit! I'm sorry!"

She turned away from the field, searching for the source. Popeye was it. The small blond man was lying on his stomach, Toye already kneeling over him. She dropped to her knees beside him, pulling sulfa powder from inside her jacket.

"What happened?" Toye asked.

"Hit in the ass!" she shouted to be heard.

She tore the packet open with her teeth before sprinkling the white powered over the red stain growing on the man's behind.

"Grenade! Move!" Winters shouted.

Her eyes shot up to meet Toye's in time to see him stumble backwards as the force of the blast drove her on-top of Popeye.

"Fuck," she groaned.

"Arlene! Toye!" she heard someone shout through the ringing in her ears.

She pushed herself off of Popeye. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts an avalanche of dirt fell off of her.

Popeye's eyes expanded tenfold and she whipped around in time to see a German standing at the end of their section of trench, rifle pointed at her chest.

She reached for hers but knew she wouldn't make it in time.

A puff of red mist appeared where his dull eyes had been, his body slumped to its knees before toppling sideways.

Her eyes frantically searched for the source of the bullet that had saved her life. She found the glimmer of metal hidden in the shadows of the abandoned car wreck.

 _John,_ she sighed.

She turned back to the wounded man, his eyes still focused on the spot where the German had been.

"Pop, you okay?"

His eyes snapped back to her face. "Shit."

She smirked.

"Arlene?" she heard Toye call her.

She looked up, the man was covered in dirt with a scowl drawing a line across his forehead, his helmet lying at his feet.

She shot him a thumbs up.

"How bad is it?" Winters appeared out of thin air next to her.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to fuck up. I don't think it's too bad."

"Bullet to the rear," she clarified.

"It's okay Pop. Let's get you out of here," Winters replied.

"Can you make it back yourself?" she asked.

"Think so," the injured man groaned.

Bullets hit the top of the trench, raining hot metal and ground op-top of them. They all ducked their heads, waiting for a break in the fire.

When the few seconds came Winters said, "Okay, let's get you out of here."

She put Popeye's helmet back on his head and took his gun. "Drop your weapon Pop."

They hauled him up and pushed him over the lip of the trench furthers from the German line. She tossed him is rifle as more bullets whizzed past their heads.

"Stay low!"

"I ain't got another option!" he retorted.

She smirked, he'd be fine.

Winters slapped her shoulder. "They've got the first gun. On me."

She followed the lieutenant until they reached the first large gun. The trench approached the gun from the side and behind. The gun itself was surrounded by a very low earthen wall, with two entrances cut in where the embankment met the trench, and covered by a netted canopy designed to hide it from Allied planes.

Jessica and Parker were pressed against the embankment, studying the approach to the second gun.

Her captain looked over her shoulder and signed for them to meet her behind the gun.

"We need to take the second gun before they can organise and mount a counter attack," Jessica said.

Winters nodded in agreement. "Buck," he called.

"We need to take the second gun. Captain King will go with us," he glanced to Jessica who silently gave her agreement, "and we'll take Toye. Grenades first then keep going."

"Arlene, you and Parker stay here, we need to hold this base and the line."

"Yes, ma'am," she replied.

"Let's go," Winters said.

"Toye, on me," Buck called.

Toye pushed past her and the four soldiers moved to take the second gun.

She took up the space left by Jessica on the inside of the wall. Peering over the rim she searched for a target. With all the gunfire coming their way there had to be a few.

She found a target, she fired but the man ducked below the rim of his trench and so she switched sights to another helmet.

A set of explosions and rapid fire drew her attention just in time to see Jessica and Winters take the second gun.

"Where the hell is our TNT?" she asked no one.

"Don't know, but Lipton better get here soon. We can't hold forever," Parker replied.

She turned to him. "We'll hold as long as we need to."

His mouth moved to say something, but it was drowned out by her gunshot. The German she'd spotted had stuck his head back up, and she'd found her target.

She glanced back over to him, eyebrow raised.

He gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

"A little suppressive fire why don't ya?" an all too familiar voice shouted over the noise of the battle.

Joe stumbled over the edge of the wall, falling next to Parker, his machine gun cradled in his arms.

"Joe, have you seen Lipton with the TNT?" she asked.

"Nah, but getting through that field is a fucking nightmare!"

"Fuck," she swore under her breath.

"Right, set up. We need to keep the Germans busy until he gets here."

From the corner of her eye she saw Malarkey shout and hurdle over the wall. He ran into the open field which separated them from the Germans, and suddenly all the gunfire died down.

"What the hell?!"

"He's looking for Luger!" Guarnere explained.

"Now you stop firing? Beautiful!" Joe said.

"Why aren't they shooting?" Parker asked.

"Christ they must think he's a medic!" Joe shouted.

"He's going to need a goddamn medic!" Guarnere retorted.

As if on cue the Germans opened fire on Malarkey. The Irishman ran back to them, zigzagging and falling in the mud before getting back up. All they could do was watch, unable to return fire in case they hit him.

He dove in next to Guarnere and immediately they opened fire.

"A fricken Luger?" she shouted over the noise. "Are you insane?! If you have a death wish, just say, we can save the Germans some ammo!"

She saw the sheepish look Malarkey gave her.

Her clip emptied and she reached for a new one, but came up empty.

"Shit, I'm out!"

"Here," Joe shouted, tossing her a clip.

She grabbed it out of the air and slammed it into her rifle.

"How are you all for ammo?" she asked the men.

"Okay," Malarkey and Joe replied.

"Low!" Bill shouted and Parker said, "Good."

 _If we don't get ammo soon we're going to have a real damn problem._

A body hit the wall on her other side, jostling her. She looked over her shoulder to find Winters pushed in next to her. German gunfire peppered the top of the embankment, pinging off the large gun.

Two soldiers appeared from their rear, slithering over the embankment and slamming themselves into the wall to avoid the enemy fire.

"Hiya, Cowboy!" Bill greeted the them.

"Shut your trap Gonorrhea!" the one retorted.

Bill smirked. "He's all right that kid!"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, Able Company."

She looked over the wall, let of few rounds and ducked back down as a bullet pinged into the gun overhead.

"Need help?" the other newcomer asked as he pushed himself as deep into the earth as he could.

"I need ammo, sir. Lots of it. And TNT!"

"I've got TNT!" Cowboy said.

Winters pointed to the mouth of the gun. "Good job private."

The second soldiers climbed back out the way he'd come, hopefully to get them all the ammo they could carry.

"Fire in the hole!" Winter shouted as he landed next to her.

They turned away from the gun and covered their heads just as the TNT detonated, nearly snapping the neck of the large gun.

"Walker, Parker, Liebgott! Covering fire on the third gun!"

Joe tossed her a few more clips and he adjusted the machine gun. They opened fire on the third gun, forcing the Germans to keep their heads down.

Jessica POV

She, Buck and Toye were firing on the third gun, using the wheel of the second as cover. She sensed people behind her, but knew they had to be theirs.

"Running a little low on ammo, sir!" Buck shouted next to her.

"How about you Malarkey?" Richard asked.

 _That's who it is._

"Okay!"

"Jessica?"

She tossed her empty clip and slotted a new one in. "Fine!"

"Think you got enough to take the third gun?" he shouted in her ear.

She turned and smirked. "Only one way to find out! Buck, Malarkey, let's go! Toye cover!

The moved down the trench, keeping their heads down only to sporadically pop up, let of a few shots and then duck back down.

Nearing the gun she and Buck took grenades, pulled the pins, counted to three before tossing them into the German position. Malarkey fired constantly as they ran into the cloud of dirt and smoke.

A figure appeared though the haze, she levelled her rifle and fired twice. Buck moved past her, shooting a German that was lying on the ground, blood covering his chest but fingers reaching for his gun.

She looked around, all the Germans were either dead or gone.

 _So that was a yes then,_ she answered Richards' question in an oddly disjointed way.

She moved so she could see the forth gun. Same set-up. Trenches and fortified Germans.

 _Fun times._

"Here!" Winters tossed Malarkey some TNT. "Use the potato masher to light it!"

Malarkey nodded, stuffed the TNT into the mouth of the gun, quickly followed by the enemy grenade.

"Fire in the hole!"

She ducked and covered her face, the explosion adding another layer to the chaos around them.

When she could hear gunfire again she turned back in the direction of the fourth gun. She fired at anything that moved, keeping them down until they moved on the gun.

"Winters!" the voice caught her off guard. She turned to see Ron jumping into the hole, machine gun ammo draped over his shoulders and a string of men behind him.

"Heard you needed ammo!" Ron shouted.

"Malarkey, take as much as you can!"

The man didn't have to be asked twice, he grabbed the ammunition and moved back down the trench to their machine gunners.

"Here!" Ron threw a satchel filled with rifle ammunition at her feet.

She grabbed the bag and swung it across her body. The gunfire and adrenaline only fuelling her anger towards him.

"Mind if D Company take a shot at the next gun?" Ron asked.

Richard looked to her. She shrugged. Who was she to deny the man a chance to get shot.

"All yours," Richard answered.

Ron held her gaze for a moment and she wasn't sure who was angrier, but she knew who had the right to be.

"Let's get them D Company!" he shouted.

She turned so she could watch the assault on the gun. Richard and Buck joined her and they watched as Dog sustained heavy fire from the Germans.

"Who is that? Speirs?" Buck asked.

She watched in horror as Ron climbed out of the trench and ran for the German gun.

"What's he doing out of the trench!?" Richard exclaimed.

"Being an idiot!" she shouted.

 _I swear, if he gets himself killed I'm going to be royally ticked off._

An explosion hit at Ron's feet and earth spat up. He fell back and her heart stopped.

"Oh, Jesus…"Buck said.

Then, Ron popped up and jumped into the enclosure holding the gun. He waved his arm, they'd taken it.

She turned away, not sure she wouldn't shoot him now.

Lipton suddenly appeared. He looked up to the nose of the gun and frowned.

"Hey there!" she greeted him with a slap on the shoulder.

Seeing Winter he said, "Sir, we had a little trouble getting through that first field."

"We're going to need your TNT at the next gun. Once blown tell them to pull out. Go!" he ordered.

Lipton ran down the trench to the last gun.

"Compton, police them them, then pull out!"

Buck nodded.

"Toye, Jessica. Move out!"

XXXXXXX

She leaned against the old brick wall, listening idly to the soldier's conversations going on around her. Armour had started to reach them from the beach, and she was waiting for someone specific.

Her men were with Easy, celebrating their victory and no doubt embellishing the story with each telling. She tilted her head up, searching for the little ray of sunlight that threatened to peak through the bank of clouds.

She took deep breaths, pushing the depressing thoughts that were waiting on the edge of her consciousness aside. Now that the adrenaline had faded and exhaustion started to kick in, she was finding it difficult to ignore the obvious.

No one from Meehan's plane had arrived yet, and Clark and Phillips, one of their replacements, had been on that plane. She'd had this feeling before, and it had never ended well.

"Hey."

She dropped her face back down and opened her eyes. Richard was standing next to her, giving her a questioning look.

"I was hoping for some sun."

He pursed his lips and looked up to the sky.

"A girl can dream."

He huffed a laugh.

Trucks and tanks were rolling by, turning the muddy road into a swamp.

"Well, look who decided to join the party?" she said, spotting the face she'd been waiting for.

Nixon was sitting on-top of a tank like a king, a shit eating grin on his face.

The armour stopped next to them. "Going my way?"

Sure," Richard replied, tossing him his rifle and taking the offered hand.

She smiled. She'd hoped to see Nixon, knowing his smile would help lift the weight settling on her shoulders.

"You coming?" he asked.

"I'll let you two have some time alone."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm going to find you later."

"Good."

The tank started to inch forward. She waved them off before turning to find her men. It was time to move out.

Arlene POV

By the time night had fallen they'd arrived in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. The French town was quickly overrun by soldiers, artillery and vehicles. The screams of the wounded punctuated the men's weary conversations and the few remaining civilians eyed them a little suspiciously. They'd been given an hour to get something to eat and rest before they had to move out again.

Pretty soon she'd found herself sandwiched between Toye and Buck on the back of covered troop truck. Malarkey had scrounged ingredients from somewhere and Bill and Joe had lit a fire inside a drum, on the back of the truck.

The air was stuffy and warm, and she was grateful she'd become accustomed to the smell drifting up from the steaming gruel.

"Malark, do I want to know what that is?" she asked.

He smelled the steam and nodded to himself. "Warm food."

Passing her a bottle of cheap alcohol someone had scrounged Bill asked, "You heard anything about the rest of your team doll?"

She took a swig, scrunching her face as the very bitter liquid hit the back of her throat. The men chuckled and Toye took the bottle from her, trying to hide a cough after he'd taken his own swig.

"No, but everyone's still scattered all over the place. Most of Easy is still on the lam."

"They'll turn up," Joe said.

She gave him a rueful smile.

He held her stare for a moment longer before busying himself lighting two cigarettes. Without saying a word he leaned forward and handed her one. Their fingertips touched and they lingered for a second before she leaned back in the bench.

"How we doing Malark?" Bill asked, leaning over so he could peer into the metal tin the food was cooking in.

Malarkey tasted the gruel. "We're doing good."

"Yeah? What the hell do you know about cooking; you're Irish," Buck said.

"Sir, if you have a reservation someplace else. I'd be happy to join you."

Buck was about to say someone when she slapped him on the chest. "You didn't offer to make us anything."

"Neither did you," he shot back.

She took the bottle from his hand. "Do I look like the kinda girl that cooks in the back of an Army truck?"

"Wait, you don't cook doll?" Bill asked.

"Oh, I cook. Just not on the back of an army truck and not for all of you judgmental asses."

Bill feigned offence and she stuck out her tongue.

She quickly glanced over to Joe. He was watching her, his trademark smirk curling around the cigarette stuck between his lips.

She arched an eyebrow.

He dropped his head and smiled.

The back flap moved and Winters appeared. Their laughter died down.

"Hello, sir," Bill said on everyone's behalf.

Winters inhaled deeply through his nose and very quickly regretted it judging by the look on his face. She couldn't stifle the giggle that trickled through her lips.

 _Yip, breathing through my mouth was the right call._

"Did something die in here?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, Malarkey's ass," Toye chirped.

Now everyone laughed, the mood once again relaxed.

"Any word from Lieutenant Meehan, sir?" Buck asked.

She held her breath.

"No, not yet," he answered and her stomach sank a little.

"Don't that make you our commanding officer, sir?" Bill asked and there was something about the way he said it.

She remembered Jessica mentioning to her that there seemed to be some tension between Bill and Winters. She hadn't noticed anything, but then again she'd only seen them interact when people were trying to kill them, so she wasn't really in a position to give her opinion.

She'd made a note of asking Bill about it the first chance they got, but one hadn't presented itself yet.

"Yeah, it does," Winters answered.

Guarnere nodded and smiled a little.

 _He seems fine with it. After today, he should be._

Toye took the bottle from her hand and offered it to Winters. "Sir."

Bill waved him off. "Joe, the lieutenant don't drink."

To everyone's surprise Winters accepted the bottle. "It's been a day of firsts."

He took a drink and his entire face soured.

 _And he's never drinking again._

He held out the bottle to Guarnere. "Don't you think sergeant?"

Her friend smiled and accepted the bottle. "Yes, sir."

Winters looked around the group, the look on his face reminding her of the proud parents she used to see at her school. "Carry on."

He was about to duck down when he turned back around. "Oh, sergeant?"

"Sir?" Guarnere replied.

"I'm not a Quaker."

There was a beat of silence, even she had heard Bill grumble that Winters was a Quaker, and then everyone burst out laughing.

The lieutenant disappeared and Toye casually slung his arm over her shoulder. She noticed Joe's eyebrows knit together, but she shot him a wink and his features relaxed.

"So, let's eat!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands.

Jessica POV

She walked through the crowded town without a destination in mind, just knowing she wasn't ready to pause and acknowledge the sinking feeling in her stomach that made it hard to breathe.

Almost as soon as they'd put their packs down Alex and two other replacements had arrived. All three men were exhausted, but besides for a sprained ankle they were unharmed. She'd been elated when Alex had embraced her, but the feeling had been wiped out when he'd confirmed they hadn't seen Clark, or anyone else form Meehan's plane for that matter.

"So you're in-charge?" he'd asked.

"For now."

"Good."

"Get some food and rest. We're moving out in an hour."

He'd nodded and pulled her into a one arm hug. "We'll keep something for you."

She'd smiled, he knew her well.

She needed time alone with her thoughts to sort through them, storing the more painful and horrible ones deep down in the furthers reaches of her mind to be dealt with much later.

The incline shifted upwards and she recalled seeing a small hill on one side of the town when they'd arrived. Two soldiers walked past her, going back down the hill. They were talking softly, but stopped and formally greeted her when she passed them. With all the grime on her face and her hair hidden they didn't realise she was woman in the dim light so she just nodded in return. She was too exhausted to deal with their reaction to her presence on the front line.

A feint orange glow silhouetted the top of the hill, along with the jeep that stood there and the soldier than leaned against it.

She recognised the man even in the dark, she was confident she'd know him by his footsteps.

Cresting the hill she found the source of the orange glow, confirming the guess she'd ventured when she'd first noticed it.

A city was being bombed, whether by their own side or the Germans she wasn't totally sure. The bombing sounded like a distant thunder storm, orange flames licking the sky as if they were reaching for heaven as thousands of tracers danced in-between them.

"It's almost beautiful, isn't it?" she asked as she stopped next to Richard.

He glanced down at her, tearing his eyes away from the blaze. "From far away."

She walked around him and hopped onto the bonnet of the jeep he was leaning against. With her feet dangling over the edge she took out her crumpled packet of cigarettes and searched for the least damaged one. Finding one that was still whole she lit it, replacing her pack and lighter. She didn't bother even offering Richard one, knowing full well he didn't smoke.

She took a long drag and closed her eyes, the orange light from the far off flames softened to a glow through her closed lids. Blowing out the smoke she finally said the words she'd been avoiding all day, "I don't think Clark's coming back."

Richard shifted so he was standing next to her, her legs touching his arm. "He could. A lot of the men are still missing, scattered all over the peninsula."

She opened her eyes. He was looking ahead, arms loosely crossed over his chest as he leaned against the jeep. "He was on Meehan's plane along with one of our replacements."

His shoulders sagged a fraction and she saw his chest rise and fall.

"The day I met Clark, the instructors arranged some close quarter combat drills. Arlene and I'd already been training for a year, but the men all had some military backgrounds, so it was a fair fight."

She giggled at the memory. Richard looked over his shoulder, one eyebrow quizzically raised and a lopsided grin on his lips.

"Clark hated the idea of working with me even before we met. It wasn't anything personal, guess he thought the whole thing was a waste of his time."

"Really?"

"Oh yes, and he was not subtle at all!"

"So what happened to change his mind?"

"The drill happened. We were paired together, and by that stage he'd made his feelings about my abilities, or lack thereof, abundantly clear. By the end of it, he had a broken nose, two black eyes, bruised ribs and one damaged ego."

Richards chuckled, a deep sound that relaxed his shoulders and wrinkled the corners of his eyes. He turned back to watch the horizon, but his weight shifted so his body was pressing against her leg.

"So that's all it took, huh?"

"That's all it took to get him to truly give the experiment a chance. And we never looked back."

Richard's head bopped up and down as if he was nodding to himself. He looked over his shoulder and asked, "How did you all get involved in the unit?"

"The men never told you?"

"They said a man from the government arrived at their barracks one day and offered them a slot in a special unit. He had a file on each of them, but not one for you or Arlene."

"Oh, he had one on us. He just didn't share it with them. I think the people in-charge of setting up the unit loved to see the looks on the men's faces when they realised they'd be working with two women."

He smirked before asking, "And you and Arlene?"

"Oh, that is a different story. Arlene, well, she wanted a different life for herself than the one her parents had planned for her. This was her way out."

He waited for her to continue, but when she didn't elaborate he asked, "And you?"

"Look who's the Intelligence Officer now?" she teased him, but didn't elaborate any further. In the dark she thought she saw him blush as he ran a hand through his hair.

She hopped of the jeep and threw the stump of her forgotten cigarette to the ground, flattening it with the toe of her boot. Staring at the ground she felt the familiar weight settle on her shoulders and in the pit of her stomach. No, Clark wasn't coming back.

When she looked up from the ground she found him staring at her, his eyes studying her face, a small frown running down the middle of his forehead.

She quirked her head sideways.

He reached for her, gently pulling her into a hug. Her head rested just underneath his chin. He smelled like sweat, gunpowder, smoke and army soap. It was a combination she was all familiar with, but on him it smelled completely unique.

"I'm sorry," he whispered above her head.

A sad smile crossed her face. "Me too."

He tightened his hold on her for a beat before slowly letting her go. She looked up at him and wondered what this moment could have been if they weren't in a war.

"I'll make you a deal," she said.

The sadness faded and his blue eyes twinkled.

"If we both make it out of here, you buy me a drink and I'll let you how I ended up where I am."

He took a small step back and extended his hand. "Deal."

With a shake of his hand she said, "Deal."

Reluctantly letting go she looked back into the heart of the town. "I need to go," she turned back to him and continued, "Get some sleep Richard."

"Yes Captain."

She rolled her eyes. "And people wonder why you and Nix get along so well?"

As she turned to leave she saw him smile for a moment before it vanished.

XXXXXXX

 _Hello lovely people! Wow, long chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it, because I quite enjoyed writing this one! Have a great weekend and take care of yourselves. Chat soon !_


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 17**

Arlene POV

She lay on the steps of a small monument, helmet put off to one side so she could soak up all the available sun. She hated being cold, her parent's house had always had a chill to it, and cold seemed to seep into her bones at a moment's notice.

"Arlene," Joe called her.

"M'hm,"she replied, eyes still closed, but she could feel him watching her.

They'd fallen into a friendly, if somewhat awkward, rhythm. In the few days that has passed they'd barely seen each other let alone get time alone together. Which meant they both knew an emotional conversation was looming, and both parties had questions that needed answering.

"You okay?" he asked.

She opened her eyes, using her hands to shield them from the sun. Joe was standing by her feet, head tilted to one side. "Fine. Just cold."

"Cold?"

She smiled at his disbelief. "Unless it's a heatwave I'm always a little cold. Think I got too much of it as a child and now it's a part of me."

He smirked. "Really, and when you told me about your folks they sounded like such warm people."

She snorted. "Oh yes, they give Father Christmas a run for his money."

He laughed.

"Heya fellas!" she heard a familiar voice from somewhere behind the men.

Joe held out his hand and she accepted it, gladly allowing him to pull her up and against his chest.

She arched an eyebrow and he smirked.

 _He's impossible._

With the smirk still on his face he turned around to great the newly arrived soldiers. She followed him and her own smile widened when she spotted Talbart, Shifty and Smokey. The three men had been missing since D-Day.

"Well boys, how nice of you to grace us with your presence," she said, squeezing Shifty's arm.

With the most adorable flush to his cheeks Shifty gave her a shy smile.

"Aww, doll, we had to give you some time to miss us," Tab said, pulling her towards him and into a crushing side hug.

"What, months without me in England wasn't enough?"

"Jeez, don't even remind me!" he replied.

She wriggled herself free from his grip, but Smokey quickly pulled her into a quick hug of his own. Technically, as an officer, she shouldn't be as close to the enlisted men and NCO's as she was, but she'd always found it easier to relax around them than other officers.

She felt that with them, she had to put on less of a show. An honestly the military had given them their ranks in part because of the specialised nature of their work, and also so they had some authority over the men they worked with. Neither she or Jessica ever took it too seriously, unless it suited them.

"Hey Tab, get a load of this," Joe said, unfurling a red Nazi flag he'd found. "You like that?"

Luz nodded approvingly. "Nice, huh?"

"Yeah, it's the real stuff?" Tab asked, and she could tell by the glint in his eyes he had something up his sleeve.

Joe scoffed. "Yeah, of course."

Tab dramatically pulled a German poncho from his pack, holding his prize out for all the men to see. "You like this?"

Luz grabbed a hold of the poncho. "Oh, nice! That's a beauty, sarge! It's a hell of a poncho."

Tab grinned and pulled the poncho from Luz's grasp. "You got anything doll?"

"Not right now."

"Really? C'mon, tell the truth."

"Well, a German did give me a ball gown and some jewellery a while back, but I had to use those to stage my own death. "

There was a beat of silence, all the men staring at her with their mouths hanging open. Arlene suppressed a giggle. She shouldn't have said anything, but their reaction made it worth it.

"What!?" Joe was the first to exclaim, quickly followed by a flood of similar questions from the rest.

She held up her hands. "No, no. I've already said too much."

"Oh, c'mon!" Luz objected, hands raised to high heaven.

She smirked and turned away, ready to continue sunning herself.

"Arlene," Alex called her, putting a stop to her plans.

"This isn't over Arlene," Joe said.

"If you say so," she replied, grabbing her pack and jogging over to Alex.

In Clark's absence Jessica had taken complete charge of the unit and she'd unofficially promoted Alex as her second in command.

"Yip?" she said, stopping in-front of her friend.

"We're moving out. General Taylor's sending the division to take Carentan."

"Makes sense. It's the only place where armour from the beaches can link up and head inland. So what's the plan?"

"We're going to scout ahead. Division thinks a regiment of Kraut paratroopers are holding Carentan, and they want us to try and get to their sentries before they can let them know we're coming."

"They do realise there's only a handful of us right? We can't get to every sentry from every angle."

He shrugged. "Fox will take the lead, Easy behind them, then Dog etc."

"We're working in pairs?"

"Loose formation, it'll be dark soon so we'll need to stay pretty close together. One vet with one replacement."

"They've lived through the last few days, we need to stop calling them replacements."

"When we get new guys, they can be the replacements."

"I'm sure they're counting the days."

"Easy Company! On the road!" Lieutenant Welsh shouted before taking a suspicious swig from his canteen.

"That's our cue," she said.

"Let's go."

Just before they rounded the corner and lost sight of Easy she glanced over her shoulder to find Joe's eyes fixed to her. She gave him a smile, hoping he could see it from this distance, and then he was gone.

Jessica POV

The night was uncomfortably warm and damp, without even the slightest breeze to provide some relief. The air was heavy with the promise of rain, and the relief it would provide from the stuffiness would quickly be replaced by mud.

 _Arlene should be happy_ , she thought. Her friend was always cold, while she always ran a few degrees warmer than everyone else around her.

They stalked through the dark forest in a loose line, two people deep. She'd paired each of her remaining officers with a sergeant. This way if a pair got hit, they wouldn't lose two experienced soldiers in one go.

She carefully, meticulously placed each footstep, moving through the darkness like a cat stalking its prey. Parker followed in her exact footsteps, close enough that she could hear his evenly paced breathing.

Her senses reached into the darkness that surrounded them, searching for anything that would give away their enemy's position. She knew there had to be Germans somewhere in these woods, the questions was where.

She slowly turned her head from left to right, when the sharp snap of a twig up ahead froze her blood in her veins. She dropped to one knee and held up her hand. Within a second everyone had followed her lead.

She closed her eyes and held her breath.

Leaves rustled up ahead, an innocuous sound except there was no wind to stir them tonight.

Her eyes shot open. She signed for Parker to follow her as the others held their ground. In a crouch she carefully moved forward, her rifle at the ready.

After a few steps she heard voices. They were low and hushed and definitely not speaking English.

She slowed her pace, each footstep becoming a life and death gamble as they inched closer. The voices came into focus. One person was speaking while the others grunted occasional replies. And most importantly they were speaking German.

She signed for Parker to hold his position as she crawled closer.

She could hear her own blood rushing in her ears, and she swore the Germans would be able to hear the hammering of her heart but she kept pushing forward, one inch at a time.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime she found the source. Five Germans were huddled together in a tight circle. There was a flash of light and the rustling of paper.

They were a scouting party, ordered to sound an early alarm if the Americans approached Carentan from this direction. From what she could gather they weren't the only one, but they were spread out to cover as much of the approach as possible, so this was the only one close by.

 _We have to kill them before they move._

They couldn't risk them running into Fox Company and sounding the alarm.

She slowly backed away from the men, until she felt safe and then turned around and retraced her footsteps, picking up Parker on the way.

When they returned to her unit she waved them over. She crouched down and brushed away some leaves to expose the ground underneath.

"Germans, 15 yards ahead and to the right," she whispered, drawing their position with an X.

Drawing an arrow she continued, "Arlene, Alex, flank around to their left. Once in place hold your position. This is their natural retreat."

They nodded.

"We'll approach from behind. On my cue we'll open fire." She pointed to John and herself. "These have to be clean shots."

She focused on Alex and Arlene. "If any escape, you kill them quickly and quietly. We can't have a gunfight."

Jessica locked eyes with each member of her team, no one showing any sign of hesitation or doubt. This is what they'd come here to do.

"Move," she whispered her final order.

They moved out, eight deadly shadows melting into the darkness.

They found the enemy soldiers right where she'd left them. They were sharing a cigarette, suspiciously eyeing the dark around them as they readied to move out.

 _Just in time._

John, Parker and Roberts had each taken up a position from where they could see the enemy. She quickly moved behind them, signalling out their target. They didn't have much time left.

There were five Germans and four of them, whoever got their man first had to kill the fifth.

She raised her rifle and found the commanding officer. He was looking away from her, but they were so close she could see his chest rise and fall through his grey uniform. She found the point where his heart would be.

 _Breath in. Breath out._

Her rifle slammed into her shoulder and three shots followed in quick succession.

Four Germans fell to the ground in a bloody heap. The fifth started to run when a his head jerked backwards and his feet gave way under him. The shot faded into the darkness as she climbed out of the shadows.

Alex strode towards her, his sidearm casually dangling in his hand.

"I had him," she said.

He holstered his weapon. "I know."

"Check them. Take any piece of paper you find."

There was a low moan followed by a sickly sucking sound. She looked around the fallen men until she found the one that was trying to move.

 _Damn._

She was about to reach for her knife when John stepped over the man. The body on the ground jerked and kicked before going completely still.

John bent down, wiped his blade on the enemy soldier's jacket before putting it away and starting to search the man's clothes.

She glanced over to Alex and they both shrugged.

XXXXXX

Easy Company was crouched in the ditch that ran next to the road leading into Carentan. They were shielded from the waiting Germans by a slight incline in the path, but as soon as they started moving forward they would be heading straight into the jaws of the German defences.

It was eerily quiet. The Germans were waiting for them to make their move, they were waiting for the inevitable assault and the few civilians left were hiding and praying.

"And Captain King's men?" Harry asked, pulling her back into the conversation.

"We'll go in with Easy, spread out over the three platoons. Our objective is to get to strategic higher ground and provide covering fire to the main assault."

"Okay then," he said.

"Harry," Richard continued his briefing, "I want you to take 1st platoon right up the middle, hard and fast. We have to move quickly. I'll be right behind you with 2nd and 3rd."

"Sergeant Parker and I will be going in with you," she added, giving Harry a small nod.

Richard crawled forward and lifted his head so he could see into the town. She watched him, the pent up adrenaline making it hard to swallow as all her muscles tensed up in anticipation.

He crawled back over to them, checked his watch one last time and said, "Go."

She was up and running before she could think.

"Let's go 1st, let's go!" Harry shouted.

"Move!" she shouted.

German fire drowned out the sound of her own thundering heart. Bullets hit the ground at her feet. The man in-front of her crumbled to the ground. She vaulted over him and felt the air next to her cheek move as a bullet whizzed past her face.

She shoved Parker in the back so he slammed into a wall. Grabbing Harry's collar she flung them both against the same wall as the earth where they'd been erupted in a hail of bullets.

A body slammed into her. "Fuck!" Luz shouted.

"Where the fuck is everybody?" Harry shouted.

She looked back, the assault had stalled and they were stranded. She let off a few shots around the wall, just to have the Germans return her fire tenfold.

Arlene POV

"Get down!"

When the order came for them to get into the ditch she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She was still below the rise, so was shielded from most of the gunfire. She stood in the middle of the road, frantically scanning the soldiers ahead. Winters was out in the open, dragging and kicking men out of the ditch. Jessica wasn't anywhere to be seen, which meant she was somewhere over the rise.

The constant machine gun fire told her what she needed to know. _We have to distract that MG team._

"Roberts, on me!" she shouted, clapping the man on the shoulder.

He followed her. She jumped over the ditch and found the grassy embankment that ran parallel with the road into town. She glanced over her shoulder. Roberts and Shifty were there.

The Germans were focused on the main road. She ran down the slope and threw herself against the wall of a chicken coop. Shifty wedged himself in between her and the fence. Roberts slammed into the wall of the opposite building.

She could see the MG team firing on the road. She raised her rifle when a clear shot rang out and Roberts dropped.

"Sniper!" she shouted.

She looked over her shoulder to Shifty. "You fire at the MG team, I'll take the sniper."

He pressed his rifle into his shoulder.

Another clear shot rang out over the constant drone of the MG fire.

 _Left and up._

She stepped out, turned to her left, and found her target lying on his stomach two storeys up.

Her finger curled around the trigger and his body went limp. A shot went off by her head, disorientating her.

Strong hands pulled her back and pinned her between a body and the wall as their small hiding place was assaulted by machine gun fire.

"Fuck!" Shifty screamed above her.

Her one ear was ringing.

Jessica POV

The MG fire stopped for a second, then started up again, but it was no longer focused on them.

She slung her rifle over her shoulder. "Harry, grenade!"

He threw his rifle over his shoulder and pulled a grenade from his jacket.

"Parker, Luz, covering fire."

She unclipped her own grenade. "Go!"

They ran for the window where the MG fire was coming from. She pulled the pin from the grenade, tossed it into the window and threw herself into ball below it.

Dust and debris rained down on her. She lifted her head to find Harry giving her a gap toothed grin.

She pushed herself up and Parker was next to her.

She looked in the direction the MG team had been shooting and saw Arlene and Shifty emerge in a cloud of feathers.

 _What the hell?_

"We gotta take that warehouse!" Lipton shouted as he ran past her.

He was right, a large warehouse dominated the left side of the main entrance into Carentan, and a building with that many windows was a sniper's dream.

"Parker, on the sergeant!" she ordered.

He followed Lipton.

Arlene ran over to her. "Roberts is down."

"Shit!"

She looked around. Harry was standing in a doorway, ordering men to clear buildings.

"Liebgott!" she shouted and the soldier paused.

Jessica glanced at Arlene. "Link up with them until you clear a suitable building. Then set up shop. Go!"

Arlene turned and ran.

She scanned the faces of the men now streaming into the town. She spotted Alex, John, Hunt and West and watched as they split up into two pairs and disappeared from view.

She went to grab Parker when the street around her started exploding. Shell after shell hit around them. She ducked into a crouch and searched for the origin of the barrage.

When the fourth shell hit, sending two soldiers flying through the air she pinpointed the direction of the artillery fire.

"Parker!" she shouted, moving past the warehouse. "On me!"

She heard footsteps close behind her.

She saw Lipton standing in the middle of the road, screaming at soldiers to move and get to cover.

Another shell went off, this time she could tell she was close to the source. She rounded a corner in time to see the Germans load a round into the huge gun, then the ground at her feet lifted, and the sky was where the earth had been a second earlier.

She fell onto a pile of rubble, the jagged edges digging into her side. She rolled off of the rubble and onto her stomach.

Lipton was laying against a wall, his helmet lost and blood running down his cheek. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees and started to crawl over to him when someone grabbed her under her arms and lifted her up.

They carried her the short distance to Lipton before putting her down next to him. It was Parker. He was covered in so much filth his skin was grey, but he seemed unharmed.

She could see his lips were moving, but the words sounded like they were underwater.

"What?!" she shouted.

"Where are you hurt?" she faintly heard him ask.

Her hearing and the pain started to return at the same time.

She groaned. Her head was already throbbing and her chest was tight.

"Fine," she managed.

Tab arrived next to them, worry making him look more innocent than usual.

"What?" Parker asked.

"Fine, I'm fine," she clarified.

She got onto her knees so she was leaning over Lipton.

His eyes were dazed, but responsive which was a good sign.

"Lip, can you hear me?" she asked.

He nodded, but then his eyes widened.

She followed his gaze. Blood was seeping into his pants right where his crotch was.

"Tab," she said.

He followed her line of sight. Tab ripped Lipton's pants open and peered inside. Looking up he grabbed his friend's shoulder and smiled. "You're okay, Lip. Everything's right where it should be."

Lipton smiled faintly.

"You got him?" she asked Tab.

"Yeah, go."

Standing she called Parker, "On me!"

They ran deeper into the town, dodging men and gunfire, until she spotted the perfect building for them.

Pointing towards the five storey building with the flat roof she said, "There!"

She led the way until they were right across the road from the building. Judging by the fact that the door was hanging by one hinge and a dead German lay on the ground she assumed it had been cleared.

Just as she was about to step out into the street a line of bullets bit into the ground at her feet. She jerked backwards.

She slowly peered around the corner just to have plaster hit the back of her head. Snapping her head back she closed her eyes, trying to picture the scene.

"Captain?"

"MG team to our left. Rifleman to the right."

"Sniper?"

"No, or he's a piss poor one. If he was any good I'd be dead."

She opened her eyes and turned back to the street.

She scanned the buildings and alleyways for any alternative that didn't include a lengthy flanking missions, when she found a group of soldiers pinned against the wall of a narrow alley.

She was about to try and get their attention when one of them looked over his shoulder and their eyes met. To her surprise the eyes that met her belonged to Ron. She quickly signed her plan.

She'd pull the enemy fire, they take out the MG team and Parker will deal with the rifleman.

He nodded.

She took off her helmet and put it on the ground, making sure her long blonde braid hung over her shoulder.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Parker asked.

"If you saw a woman in an enemy uniform, how would you feel?"

"Confused."

She smiled. "Exactly. Don't miss."

"Yes, ma'am."

Placing her rifle with her helmet she took a deep breath, unclipped her sidearm and switched off the safety.

 _One, two, three._

She shot out of the cover and stopped in the middle of the street. The Germans peppered the ground but then faltered and the gunfire died down.

 _Now._

There was movement behind her as Parker stepped out and fired two clean shots. Then all hell broke loose.

The MG team opened up, focusing all their firepower on the very spot she was standing.

She lunged forward and dove for the nearest doorway. A sharp pain ripped into her left arm as she scrambled to get to her feet. Looking around the interior she quickly found the stairs leading to the upper storey.

As the fighting intensified she ran for the stairs. Taking them two at a time she reached the second floor.

She ran to the window that overlooked the street. Pressing herself into the wall she looked out and to her relief she had a clear shot of the German MG team.

Two dead Germans were on the ground, but three remained and they were raining hell down on those Dog soldiers.

She took aim through the smudged glass and the next moment a waterfall of glass was raining down on the street below.

The Germans turned their attention to her vantage point but she was already long gone. Standing at the top of the stairs she listened as the gunfire reached a crescendo before subsiding and dying down all together.

She cautiously descended the stairs, only relaxing when she heard American voices calling her name.

"Here!" she shouted back.

There were heavy footsteps running up the stairs so she simply waited on the first floor, hoping to avoid a collision.

Ron appeared at the top of the stairs, his dark brown eyes almost black as he fixed her with them. "What the hell was that?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "A distraction. I told you I was going to draw their fire."

He threw his hands into the air. "By running into the open without a bloody helmet on!"

"Well, it worked didn't it?"

"You could have gotten yourself killed!"

She gestured around them. "Look around you, those are the stakes."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Goddamnit Jessica."

She'd all but had enough of his sudden change towards her. She closed the space between them so their faces were only a few inches apart. "What Ron? What?"

He frowned and pursed his lips like he was holding back words. His eyes darted to her side and he gently took her left arm. "You're bleeding."

She glanced down. A line of blood was slowly growing on her upper arm, soaking the torn fabric of her uniform. "It's nothing."

"Nothing? Are you blind?"

She was about to respond when footsteps came bounding up the stairs. "Captain!" Parker called.

"Here!" she replied.

Ron held onto her arm, but she pulled it from his grasp. "I need to go."

At that moment Parker reached them. He paused, eyes flicking between the two as he shifted his weight back and forth.

She held out her hand for her rifle and helmet. "Let's get to the roof."

He held out her things to her as he replied, "Yes, ma'am."

Taking them she held Ron's gaze, and with a final, pointed look she turned and led the way up the stairs.

Arlene POV

They moved underneath an arched walkway as mortar blasts and gunfire shook the air around them. The men stopped at the end of the walkway, scanned the street and crossed to start clearing the nearest buildings.

She expertly scanned the row of buildings facing her until she found one that had a view of the main road leading in and out of the town.

"You two, on me. We're clearing that building," she said to the nearest soldier, pointing her rifle in its direction.

Without hesitation the two men jogged towards the building. She followed them, but glanced over her shoulder in time to see Joe entering a building with a large glass display window, Tipper on his heels.

The two soldiers were waiting for her on either side of the entrance way. She shouldered her rifle and unclipped a grenade form her belt.

She nodded, the one man kicked the door down and she tossed in the grenade. They pressed themselves against the wall as smoke and dust billowed out of the building's interior.

The first man went in and two shots followed. She was right behind him, there was movement to her right. She fired twice at the shadow and it vanished.

The dust clung to the inside of her mouth and stung her eyes. She pressed past it, moving deeper into the building.

She found the stairs that would take her to higher ground, her boot was on the first one when the walls shuddered and it sounded like it had started to rain.

Her breath hitched as her heart stopped. She looked behind her to find both soldiers frozen, unsure whether to continue or see what had happened.

She swallowed hard as her heart started up again. "Clear this building!"

The men moved, years of training overriding their fear and doubt. She ran the opposite way. It had taken her brain a while to place the sound that had followed the initial explosions, but as soon as it did she had to go see for herself. Glass, thousands of shards sounded like rain.

After the dust and smoke the brilliant sunshine nearly blinded her. She blinked as she ran back the way she'd come.

The first thing she saw were two soldiers just standing in the middle of the street like they were in a daze. She knew where they were looking, and she was petrified of what she would find.

Arlene slowed and pushed the fear down, slowly turning so she was facing the building Joe had entered minutes earlier.

Later on, when she looked back at that moment she would feel guilt and remorse, but right then and there a wave of relief washed over her, so acute she almost smiled. That was until her mind fully processed what she was seeing.

Joe was alive and somehow unharmed, but cradled in his arms was Tipper. The young soldier with the quick smile was covered in so much ash and dirt his skin was cakes in it. Half of his face was covered in dark blood as more spilled from his mouth between shocked whimpers. Both his legs had huge gashes, white bone protruding from the torn flesh. His right foot was half gone, smoke drifting out of his shoe.

She slung her rifle over her shoulder and slowly approached the two men. Kneeling down on Tipper's other side she said, "Tip, it's Arlene. You're going to be okay."

His one eye drifted over to her as if he were seeing her for the first time.

"Hey, there you are sweetheart. I'm going to give you some morphine."

Taking out her aid-kit she met Joe's eyes. They were filled with guilt and heartache, which she knew from experience would turn to anger as soon as Tipper was cared for.

"We need to get him to the aid station," she said, hoping a clear task would help everyone snap out of the shock they were in.

He cleared his throat and the usual sharpness returned to his eyes. "Hey guys, give us a hand," he told the two men who were still standing behind her.

She jabbed the morphine syrette into Tipper's upper arm before sticking it onto his jacket so the medics would know how much he'd had.

She stood to make space for the men to pick him up, but his eye followed her. She smiled, doing her best to hide her own guilt and relief. For a few minutes she watched the men leave, carrying their wounded comrade between them and her heart broke a little with every second.

 _Enough Arlene. Get to work._

Jessica POV

She'd walked into the aid station looking for any of her men, but soon found herself on top of a table, with Easy's medic Eugene Roe asking her to take off her jacket.

She teasingly raised an eyebrow at his request and he had the decency to blush, dropping his eyes as his hand fidgeted with a bandage.

"I'm just teasing Eugene."

He looked back up and smiled shyly. She'd never spent much time with Eugene, but up-close she had to admire the man's good looks. His hair was so dark it seemed to have a blue tinge. His eyes, although an incredibly dark brown where patient and kind, the types of eyes you'd want looking over you in your time of need. The frown that ran between those eyes seemed permanent, but to her it only made him all the more adorable.

"What?" he asked, frown deepening.

Dumping her jacket at her side she said, "This is going to sound left field, but I like you."

"Umm…thank you Captain."

She leaned forward. "How many horrible things have you seen and heard today?"

He sighed, mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Exactly. Sometimes you also need to hear something nice."

He gave her a lopsided smile.

She leaned back. "Now, how 'bout we stitch up this arm so I can move out?"

He rolled up her sleeve, trying to be delicate, but when the dried and bloody shirt pulled away from the wound she let out an involuntary hiss.

He shot her an apologetic look but she waved him off.

Trying to distract herself from the warm blood now trickling down her exposed arm she scanned the faces in the room.

"None of them have been here," he said, reading her mind.

"I'm only missing Arlene. She was with Liebgott."

"He was here earlier. Brought Tipper in. He said Arlene had given him morphine."

She looked down at him, but his eyes were focused on the jagged laceration running down her arm. "Sounds like her. I swear in another life she was a nurse or something."

He glanced up from the wound. "There's debris in the wound. I need to clean it before I can put in stitches. It's going to hurt."

"Do what you have to do."

He got to work, tweezers carefully pulling shards of brick and filth out of her arm. She focused on her breathing and turned back to studying the room, hoping to find any distraction.

She quickly found one when her eyes fell onto Richard. He was kneeling in-front of a soldier with shocking white hair. The soldier was staring ahead blindly, eyes focused on something miles away. Richards was softly speaking to him, concern etched into all his features.

"Shell shock?" she asked.

Gene's hand paused. "Hysterical blindness. Says he can't see."

"I think you're going to have to change your prognoses."

"What?"

They both watched, mouths slightly agape as the soldier stood, dazed eyes scanning the room as he grabbed his gun and headed for the door.

They followed him out the door before turning to Richard who had stopped next to them. He looked as surprised as she felt.

"Well, aren't you just the local miracle worker," she said.

He shook his head in disbelief.

She didn't notice Gene going back to work on her arm, so she wasn't able to steady her face when he pulled the last bit of debris from her wound.

Richard's blue eyes flashed as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "What happened to your arm?"

"What happened to your leg?"

He hesitated, eyes darting to Gene for an explanation.

"You keep shifting your weight off of your right leg."

"That obvious?"

Jessica winked. "Never play poker against me."

"Good thing I don't gamble." His lips turned into a mischievous grin. "Although Nixon does."

He let go of her shoulder and to her relief he dragged an abandoned chair over. "Ricochet," he answered her question.

She wrinkled her nose. "Sorry."

"Your turn."

"Oh, I may or may not have run across an open street to draw fire from an MG team and a rifleman."

"Why?"

"I'm an excellent distraction."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Fine. A group of soldiers were pinned down. I ran across the street to draw fire, which I excelled at by the way."

Gene grunted a laugh next to her.

"I had to dive into a building for cover. The floor was littered with debris and something cut my arm. Honestly, it was nothing compared to nearly being blown up."

"What?" both men exclaimed.

She waved them off with her free hand. "A blast went off close to me. I was tussled around a bit that's all."

"You hurt?" Richard asked as his eyes scanned her.

"Not really. Landed on some bricks with my side, but nothing's broken."

"How would you know," he asked.

"Experience."

Richard rolled his eyes and she thought she heard Gene swear in French under his breath. She beamed innocently at both men.

"There," Gene said as the needled dropped into the metal tray with a light clink.

She looked down at her arm, twisting it this way and that to study the wound. "Wow Gene, you're amazing! From now on when I get hurt I'm coming straight to you."

"You make a habit of this?" the medic asked.

"What can I say, I'm the run head first into danger kinda girl."

He shook his head as he ran a red tinted hand through his dark hair.

"Your turn," she told Richard, easily hopping off of the table.

The redhead stood so he was towering over her. "You're trouble."

"True, but the best kind."

"M'hm."

With a smile and wink she grabbed her things and sauntered out of the aid station.

 _Now, where is that girl?_

Arlene POV

As soon as she'd been able to check in with Alex she went in search of Joe. Her reason was, at least partly, extremely selfish. The surge of emotions she'd felt when she'd thought he'd been caught up in the blast had unsettled her nerves, and she needed to see him under calmer circumstances. But her other reason was the look in his eyes when he'd held Tipper. Yes, he'd acted calm and composed. He'd done the very best he could for his friend, but she knew that look all too well. It was shock that could quickly turn into guilt or anger or both.

She found him leaning against a wall, close to where Easy had gathered after the fight had mostly died down. His helmet was at his feet and his rifle rested against the wall. Two cigarette butts already laid next to his helmet, and a third was already on its way.

Casually leaning against the wall next to him she said, "Hey Joe."

He looked at her, took out another cigarette and used his own one to light it, before handing it to her. She gladly accepted it, savouring the taste on her tongue as the smoke smoothed over her frayed nerves.

"Doc says he could make it," Joe said, his eyes firmly fixed on the horizon.

"He's strong and healthy. I don't think major arteries were hit. So yeah."

The silence stretched out between them.

"Joe?"

"Yeah."

She turned her head so she was looking at him. "It's not your fault. There's nothing more you could have done."

He scoffed and tossed what was left of his cigarette to the ground. "I should have taken him with me when I left the building. I just assumed he was right behind me. I didn't even look."

"He was doing his job and you were doing yours. You were there for him when it mattered."

"Much good it did."

She moved away from the wall so she was standing directly in-front of him. "I've seen men with far less severe injuries die from shock. You were there, you kept him calm and he knew he was taken care of. There was no way for you to stop him from getting hurt, but you did what you could to keep him from dying. That's what counts."

He reached for her hand, gently intertwining their fingers. Arlene did her best to ignore the warmth of his touch or the flutter in her stomach. This really wasn't the time or the place for either one.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"Being there. For Tip and for me. Being here now."

She smiled softly.

"Arlene!" she heard her best friend call.

"You should go," Joe said, but he didn't move.

With a sigh she untangled her fingers and turned, but then she paused and glanced over her shoulder. "I was relieved. I know it's horrible, but when I realised you weren't hurt, I was relieved."

Without waiting for his response she turned and left.

 _Not the time or the place._

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Hello! I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks and won't be able to really write or post during this time, so I wanted to post an extra chapter before I go. I already have a draft for chapter 18, so when I get back it shouldn't be to long until I can post again._

 _Thank you for coming back to the story and going on this little adventure with me. I love to hear from you all, so thank you so much to everyone that's reached out. Also, if you've added the story to your alerts/faves...your rock!_

 _Chat soon._


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply**

 **Chapter 18**

Arlene POV

Arlene turned her face up to the sun, eyes softly closed, as the men's conversations hummed in the background.

They'd left Carentan with its dust and smoke and she instantly felt her chest expand as her lungs gulped up the cleaner air. Of course they were still in danger, and the signs off war were dotted around the French countryside, but she just felt better away from that town and its onslaught of emotions.

"Hey, Arlene," Luz's voice pulled her from her trance.

She dropped her face and twisted her neck so she could look at the man walking slightly behind her.

"Yip?"

"You ever been to Paris?"

"Hm, once."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Well, what's it like?"

She slowed her pace so she could fall in between Luz and Perconte. "Why do you ask?"

"I want to know the best places to go when we get there."

Her face scrunched up. "And when are you planning this little getaway exactly? Just so I can book it in my diary."

He shot her a flat stare and she heard Perconte snicker on her other side.

"C'mon, at this rate we'll be spending Christmas in Paris! You know, as a reward for taking Berlin."

A snort scratched the back of her throat. "It's always good to be optimistic. Maybe a bit overly in this case though."

Luz didn't reply, just kept looking at her expectantly.

"I was sent to Paris for work, so I didn't really enjoy the night life or anything. But it's a beautiful place, even at times of war, and there is a something unidentifiable in the air there. Christmas in Paris wouldn't be half bad."

He nodded as he mulled over her words. "Christmas in Paris," he mumbled almost dreamily to himself.

The smile just started pulling at the corners of her lips when she heard the familiar whine overhead. "Mortar!" she shouted just as the first shell landed.

A steady stream of gunfire and explosions assaulted their vulnerable position out in the open.

"Get to that hedgerow!" she shouted, shoving Luz in the direction of the natural barrier.

Arlene followed in the man's wake, running to the comparable safety of the hedgerow while keeping as low as possible. A shell hit close by, raining dirt and hot shrapnel down on her. She spat out the grime and kept moving.

She hit the hedgerow and suddenly she could see the German muzzle flashes. The enemy was entrenched in another hedgerow a few hundred yards from their position, across an open field.

She fell onto her stomach and opened fire, aiming for the shadows behind the flashes.

She fired round after round, until, like a wave retreating into the ocean, the fight died down.

Dropping her head she took a deep breath, trying to give her mind a moment to catch up to reality.

"Christmas in Paris," she mumbled, "Fuck."

XXXXXXX

After the initial contact had died down, they'd been ordered to dig in. Muddy foxholes dotted the hedgerow every few yards as the now constant rain turned everything to brown mush.

Jessica found her as night fell. Her friend was walking the line, checking in on every foxhole, even those that didn't house a single member of their team.

She fell into step with her best friend, glad to be up and out of the mud.

"Who's in your hole besides Guarnere?" Jessica asked.

"Parker and Joe."

"Hm."

Jessica had ordered them to split into pairs and scatter themselves amongst Easy. She'd purposefully put Alex as far away from herself as she could. Just in case.

Arlene bit her lower lip and glanced at the shorter woman. Most people wouldn't notice, but she recognised the tell-tale signs of stress on her friend. The muscles in her shoulders were constantly taught and her crystal blue eyes never remained still for long.

"You think Clark's dead?" she asked the question that had been burning in the back of her mind since Brecourt.

Jessica took a deep breath, pushing the air out through her nose. "Yes."

A lead ball settled in her stomach. She'd suspected it, but having her own fear confirmed felt like a punch to the gut. "He could still show up," she volunteered lamely, more for her own sake.

The blonde shook her head. "No, he won't."

"How do you know?"

"Same as you. We just do."

She sighed.

"How was Carentan?' she asked the first thing that came to mind.

"You know. Screaming, shooting, people getting blown up. Just another day at the office."

"I heard you ran into Ron."

Jessica turned her head to look at her. "Where did you hear that?'

"Luz. He gossips like you won't believe, which means he knows everything."

"Well, I didn't so much run into him as run across a street to help him. Which subsequently led to us having a bloody tiff in the middle of gunfight!"

She coughed out the giggle she was trying to suppress, earning her a glare from her friend.

"He probably just cares about your safety."

"Well, he sure as a funny way of showing it. Picking a fight after he practically ignored me when we'd met at Brecourt. Ass."

Even in the dark she could see the dangerous glint in Jessica's eyes and the way her mouth was set.

"So are you going to kill him or sleep with him? Or both?"

"I want to slap him, not undress him."

"If you say so."

This time Jessica shot her a look and she snapped her jaw shut with an audible click.

A few moments passed and she could feel the tension leave her friend's body. She was about to ask her about Richard when a shadow approached them.

Joe stepped out of the darkness, rifle in his hand and helmet pulled low to try and shield his face from the rain.

"Liebgott," Jessica greeted him.

"Ma'am."

"Are you heading back to your foxhole?"

He nodded.

"Good," Jessica said, before she turned her head to look at her, "I need to talk to Alex and he's right at the end of our line."

"Do you want me to come with?"

She saw Jessica's eyes flick to Joe who was intently watching their exchange. "No, it's fine. You should head back with Joe. Get some rest, if they don't come before then, we're attacking at 05:30."

"Right," she replied.

Jessica moved past Joe, sparing him a look which seemed to carry more meaning than a casual glance, but neither one said anything.

As soon as Jessica melted into the shadows the air between them grew heavy, forcing her heart to beat faster and her lungs to work harder. She tried to ignore the thumping in her chest, instead concentrating on keeping her face a pleasant mask. She didn't want him to see the uncertainty that was just beneath the surface.

Wordlessly she turned to head back to the foxhole they shared and he fell in next to her. She kept her eyes fixed on everything around her except him.

Joe cleared his throat like he was about to say something but instead there was just more silence.

This is ridiculous.

"Joe -," she started, but he cut her off, "Arlene -,"

They both looked over to the other one, shy smiles slowly spreading across their cheeks until she laughed and he rolled his eyes.

Her laughter slowly died down and the silence settled between them again. Wanting to say something before her courage abandoned her again she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "You were an ass."

She felt his dark eyes look over to her before he turned them forward again. "You're going to have to be more specific than that."

"On Christmas. You were an ass for ditching me and for assuming the worst. That wasn't fair."

There was a beat of silence before he replied, "I know. But you left me alone in New York, that wasn't fair either."

Guilt twisted her face to mirror the feeling in her gut.

Joe took a deep breath next to her and she stole a look at him. His eyes were hooded and his face drawn, no trace of his ever present smirk to be found. He must have felt her looking at him, because his eyes moved to meet hers. She'd prepared herself for anger or resentment, and both were there, but another emotion clouded his eyes which she couldn't place, but it made her heart clench.

"Why did you leave?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She turned her face away from him, staring blankly into the darkness. Arlene's jaw worked as she chewed over her words, weighing up each possible answer and discarding them one after the other.

A shout ripped through her thoughts, rooting her feet in place. Another one followed, and soon the screams were tumbling over each other in quick succession.

Her legs moved before her brain had the chance to tell them to, throwing her body forward as she sprinted towards the screams. She didn't see Joe, but she heard him right behind her. His accelerated breathing and mumbled curses telling her he was there.

 _Where's the shooting? Shit, are they in our lines?_

They broke through the foliage and she skidded to a halt, her feet almost slipping out from under her on the muddy ground.

Talbart was sitting against a tree, clutching his stomach as he screamed in pain and shock. But he wasn't being attacked by a German. No, a fellow trooper was stabbing him repeatedly with his bayonet, his own desperate cries mingling with Talbart's.

Joe pushed past her, jumping into the foxhole and pulling the soldier back. "What the fuck! It's Talbart!"

The man thrashed against Joe's arms.

She dropped to her knees in front of Talbart and pushed the poncho he was wearing out of the way. Somewhere in the back of her mind she noted it looked like the German poncho he'd flaunted days earlier, but she filed that away for later.

"Tab, look at me," she said as her hands tried to find the source of the bleeding in the darkness.

"Fuck, it hurt," he moaned trough gritted teeth.

"I know, but I need you to look at me. Focus on my voice."

He stilled and his eyes settled on her face. They were filled with pain and fear, but they were clear and focused. "Good."

Joe landed next to her, the other soldier's hysterical babbling pushed to the back.

"Medic!" Joe shouted.

"There," she said to herself, her fingers finally finding a trickle of warm blood.

"Tab, this is going to hurt. I have to put pressure on the wound."

The young man nodded, his jaw locked tight as he braced himself for a new wave of pain.

"Joe, I think there's another wound an inch to the right. Can you find it?"

Joe's hands ran over his friend's soaked uniform. "Got it."

Talbart groaned against the pain, his fists balled at his sides so tightly she thought the bones were going to stick out.

Just as she filled her lungs with air to shout for a medic Eugene shoved in between the two of them, nearly knocking her over.

"Okay Talbart. I got you," he soothed, his Cajun accent thicker than usual.

Eugene started working on the wounds in a flurry of sulfa, bandages and soothing nothings.

He pushed her hand aside so he could work and she grabbed Talbart's clenched fist. As if on instinct he uncurled his fingers and grabbed her hand, squeezing so hard she thought she heard her knuckles crack.

"You're doing great. You will be fine," she said, hoping she wasn't lying.

"Yeah buddy, you're gonna have one hell of story to tell," Joe offered, his smirk back in place.

Talbart cracked a strained smile.

"Okay, let's move him," Eugene instructed, already moving so he could grab Talbert's feet.

She slung one arm over her shoulder and Joe did the same. Eugene waited until they looked at him before giving the silent signal to lift.

Talbart groaned, trying to swallow the scream.

"It's okay. You're okay," she hushed.

They carefully carried their friend through the mud, nearly slipping a few times but somehow managing to keep their footing. When they were away from the line she saw two shadows approach, carrying something between them.

The soldiers dropped the stretched on the ground and they carefully laid Talbart down.

The soldiers lifted their friend, doing their best to keep the stretcher stable to avoid jostling the injured man. Eugene squeezed her shoulder as he left with the men and then there was just silence.

She and Joe stood there, watching them fade away.

She wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline coursing through her veins that made her brave, but without looking at Joe she said, "I was scared to stay."

"What?"

Arlene moved so they were facing. "I left you alone in New York because I was scared. I'd been down that road once before and it very nearly killed me. So I ran. I used my unconventional circumstances as an excuse. But that's really what it was, an excuse."

Joe didn't move, she wasn't even sure he was breathing, he just stared at her. She tried not to cross her arms or shift her weight, she'd just sacrificed a part of her pride and wasn't going to give away any more.

Finally breaking the deafening silence he said, "I wasn't going to hurt you."

She'd been prepared for a lot of things, but that wasn't it. She very nearly barked a laugh but instead blurted, "You did."

Joe flinched.

"You stood me up Joe. You did hurt me. I opened up to you and you did hurt me."

"Arlene-,"

"No," she nearly shouted, cutting off whatever he was going to say. She took a step closer to him and lowered her voice. Her guilt from a moment before quickly dissipating, anger taking its place. "You told me you were going to be there, and you weren't. And why? Because you assumed I was screwing around."

He held up his hands in surrender, but she was too far gone now, the words were spilling from her lips with each inch she closed between them. "Yes, what I did was bad and shameful, but you. We'd shared New York and the day in the snow and you still left me. You didn't ask me, didn't try to say sorry. No, you allowed me to leave to go off to fucking war without speaking to me."

By the time she stopped they were mere inches apart. Her chest was rising and falling like she'd run a race, heart hammering against her ribs.

Joe didn't move, or even blink. His dark eyes held hers and his hands were balled into fists at his side like he was physically restraining himself.

"Here I am Joe. What now?" she asked, eyes narrowing in a challenge, for what she wasn't sure.

He took a deep breath and she saw his hand twitch.

Her heart stopped.

Joe took a step back and the tension that had held them in place vanished.

"I made a mistake," he said.

Her heart started beating again, painfully.

"I know I messed up in England. Every day you were gone I felt like I was slowly losing my mind. And I can tell you all the bullshit reasons, but they don't matter. Not really."

"They do matter," she whispered, her fight gone.

He shook his head. "Maybe, but why you're scared matters more."

They stood there, watching each other. She suddenly felt tired and sore, and she could feel a headache start to take shape behind her eyes.

She dropped her face and pinched her eyes closed for a second. Looking back up she straightened out. "We need to get back to our foxhole."

Arlene thought she recognised disappointment flash across his face, but it was gone before she could really place it. "Let's go," he said, already turning to leave.

 _Well, this isn't going to be an awkward night at all._

Nixon POV

Very soon he was going to start swearing out of frustration. With the exception of the quick chat he'd had with Jessica on the day of his arrival, they'd somehow managed to miss each other on every other occasion. Of course he wasn't expecting them to have a tea party, but surely he could spend five uninterrupted minutes with the woman he'd grown to care deeply for.

He was stalking the Easy line, trying his best to find her. Unsurprisingly she hadn't been in her foxhole, so he'd taken to walking the line in hopes of running into her.

He'd almost reached the end of the line and his patience when a familiar voice whispered, "Flash."

"Thunder," he replied, and then there she was, stepping out of the shadows like a figment.

"I've been looking for you everywhere. You're impossible to find, you know that?" he said.

Jessica's lips twitched into a small smile. "I missed you too Nix."

He pulled her into a fierce hug. "Shut-up kid."

She giggled against his chest, and it sounded so out of place that he shook his head.

 _Typical._

She pulled away from him and he reluctantly let her go. He wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but after months spent worrying about her, he was sure he considered her family, a little sister he had to protect. Well, as much as she and the situation would allow.

"How was your assignment?" he asked.

She eyed him before shrugging. "Fine. Long. What do you know?"

"I got hold of a confidential memo saying two American agents were working in France. The timing was obvious. When I told Clark about it he didn't deny anything. Didn't confirm it either, but he didn't have to."

A flicker of pain stole across her face, but she quickly batted it away. "You know, you could get into trouble for reading confidential documents."

"They didn't make me an Intelligence Officer because I kept my nose out of everybody else's business."

When his friend didn't say anything more he sighed. "Well?"

"We did what we had to do, but I'm happy to be surrounded by friends again. Looking over your shoulder gets exhausting after a while."

"I'm glad you're back too. Even if it's just so I no longer have to watch Dick and Speirs fret like to grandmothers."

Her eyebrows formed into a deep V and she tilted her head to one side.

"Trust me kid, maybe fret wasn't the right word, but they were both annoying in their own special way. Dick was more uptight than usual and I swear Speirs became even more of an ass."

"Oh, I've noticed that last part."

This time it was his turn to frown. He didn't like the sound of that. He'd put Speirs' mood down to Jessica's sudden departure, but had assumed it would revert back once they met up again.

She waved it off. "There are Germans waiting just over there," she pointed in the general direction of the enemy, "ready to kill us. I'm not going to get my panties in a twist over Ronal Speirs not playing nice."

"Fine, but of he steps out of line you tell me."

She smiled. "Deal."

She started walking back down the line and he easily fell in next to her. For a few moments all he could hear was the surprisingly good German signing and the mud squelching beneath their boots.

"Have you heard anything about Clark or Meehan?" she asked, but the question sounded a little forlorn.

"No, we think their plane went down."

Her head dropped as she rubbed the back of her neck. Nixon reached for her hand, gently intertwining their fingers and squeezing it. She looked up, shooting him the ghost of smile.

"Don't worry Nix, it's nothing I didn't already know. Hope is just a fickle bitch that's all."

"Sorry kid. At least you're team has you to lead them."

"For now."

He tugged her hand and she looked over to him. The unspoken question was clear in the way he raised one bushy eyebrow.

"I have no illusions Nix. The military already have a hard enough time accepting Arlene and I as is, there's no chance they'd allow me to remain in-charge. Hell, even when I was second in command it was only because Clark had insisted."

He let go of his friend's hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He knew she was right, but he could already feel the frustration and anger start to simmer.

Jessica must have picked up on his not-so-subtle mood change, because she said, "It's okay Nix. We already have a plan in place."

He glanced over to her. Even in the dark she seemed older than she had the last time he'd seen her. "We?"

"I've spoken to Alex and then we spoke to the rest of the unit. Once we're off the line Alex and I will go see the powers that be. We'll try to convince them to promote Alex to Captain and put him in-charge. I'll become his second."

"He should be your second."

She shrugged. "Maybe, but there's no use in dwelling on it. I trust Alex and we'll work well together. We have an understanding. Besides, it's far better than having them bring in an outsider! We'll already need a few replacements as is, we don't need a new CO."

"And you're okay with this?"

"I want what's best for my people. Alex will be a great CO. Besides, I've learnt to pick my battles, and this isn't one I think I can win, so I'd rather not waste my energy on it."

She sounded resigned but unhappy. They both knew it wasn't fair, or right, but if he was honest he'd always doubted she'd be allowed to remain in-charge.

"It's still bull."

"Oh, now that it is."

He reached out to grab her shoulder, stopping them both. "I gotta head back."

Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. "We'll catch up tomorrow. I have a few months' worth of gossip to catch up on."

He feigned indignation. "And what makes you think I would be able to help with that?"

"As a wise man once said, you weren't chosen to be an intelligence Officer because you kept your nose out of everybody else's business."

He wiggled his eyebrows, earning him a smile and slap to the chest. With one arm he pulled Jessica into an embrace. "Be careful tomorrow kid."

"Careful's my middle name," he heard her muffled reply.

He snorted and he felt a soft pinch to his inner arm. "Hey!"

She laughed against his chest, a naughty little tinkle that brought a smile to his dirt covered face. Finally, reluctantly letting go of her he shot her a wink and turned to leave when she said, "Thanks for looking for me Nix."

He craned his neck so he could see her over his shoulder. "Any time kid."

Jessica POV

She was about to turn back to her foxhole when Nix's absence was replaced by a familiar voice. She tilted her head, trying to make out the words when she realised he was moving in her direction.

With the ease gained from years of experience she melted back into the shadows just as Ron appeared, another man trailing a little in his wake. She studied them, trying to figure out why Ron was here, this deep inside Easy lines, when a slither of moonlight lightened the other man's features.

She frowned, trying the place the wide eyes and pale skin.

 _Carentan's aid station_. That's were last she'd seen the man miraculously regain his eyesight after a few words from Richard. He still looked scared, on the brink of hysteria, and she didn't think for a second Ron was helping his disposition.

Her curiosity got the better of her, and despite her better judgement, she silently followed the two men. Ron's pace was slow, and if his jaw hadn't been firmly set she would have said relaxed. Blithe, she thinks that was the other man's name, still struggled to keep up, almost tripping a few times. She flinched every time.

"You've got some nervous privates in your Company," Ron offered casually.

"We do, sir. Yeah, we do. I can vouch for that."

When the two men slowed she stopped, pressing herself against the nearest tree. She tilted her head so she could hear their conversation, even if she couldn't see them.

She heard a thud and assumed one of them, probably Blithe, had jumped into a foxhole.

"They just don't see how simple it is," Ron said.

"How simple what is, sir?"

"Just do what you have to do."

"Like you did on D-day, sir?"

She thought she heard Ron inhale sharply, but she couldn't be sure in the dark. She'd heard stories, about D-Day, but she'd learned not to listen to gossip. An easy lesson if you're usually the topic of discussion.

The lieutenant turned to leave when Blithe stopped him. The young man said the words fast, like he'd been holding them in for days and simply couldn't contain them for a moment longer. "Sir, when I landed on D-Day, I found myself in a ditch all by myself. I fell asleep. I think it was the air-sickness pills they gave us."

There was a pause and when Blithe spoke again it was measured, resigned. "When I woke up, I didn't really try to find my unit…to fight. I just – I just kind of stayed put."

"What's your name, trooper?" Ron asked.

"I'm Blithe, sir. Albert Blithe."

"You know why you hid in that ditch, Blithe?"

She sucked in her breath and felt the heat start to rise into her chest before creeping up her neck and settling on her cheeks. She knew from the tone of Ron's voice he wasn't about to give the man a pep talk.

"I was scared," the soldier offered.

She bit her lower lip to stop herself from intervening. Why, she didn't know, but she kept herself fixed to her hiding place.

"You hid in that ditch because you think there's still hope. But Blithe, the only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier's supposed to function. Without mercy. Without compassion. Without remorse. All war depends upon it."

She had to consciously suppress the urge to barge in on the conversation and give the man a piece of her damn mind. Sure, he wasn't entirely wrong, but Blithe was already scared witless, he really didn't need to hear that.

 _Bastard._

There was silence and then she heard Ron move. She pressed herself deeper into the shadows and followed him with her eyes as he passed within arm's length of her. She followed him as he made his way back to Dog Company, allowing her anger to slowly fester with each step.

Just as he reached the end of the Easy line she quickened her pace, purposefully making us much of a noise as possible. When her boot snapped a twig he turned, rifle at the ready.

She stopped, crossed her arms over her chest and regarded him.

"Are you mad? I could have killed you," he said, slinging his rifle onto his shoulder as he marched towards her.

She held her ground, even when he was within a few inches of her. She didn't move, or flinch.

"You need to be more careful," Ron said.

"No, you should be. I've been following you since your little pep talk with Blithe. The only reason you know I'm here is because I wanted you to."

Doubt flitted over his handsome features. But it was gone almost as soon as it had appeared. "You were following me? Don't you have anything better to do?"

She suppressed the urge to shout, to ask him what he was playing at. She had years of training and experience in deception, this wasn't a game she was going to lose. "Actually, I was patrolling the Easy line, when I found you. Nowhere near Dog. Why is that? Nothing better to do? Or were you looking for someone?"

Ron cleared his throat, but his expression remained unchanged.

"Oh no, you were just looking for someone to give a rousing speech to. Very motivational by the way. But you should learn to read your audience better. I don't think Blithe was the target market for that particular brand of depressing."

He took one small step closer to her, so close she could feel the heat coming off of his body. She didn't move, just cocked her head to one side, casually awaiting his response.

"He's a soldier, he needed to hear it."

"That there is no hope?"

He smirked. "You don't agree with me? What would you have told him?"

"That everybody's scared, you push past it. Because that's the job."

"That's nice," he said, narrowing his eyes.

She moved forward so there faces were only a few inches apart. "Speirs, don't ever forget that while you were in basic training, I was killing men and watching them die. There is nothing you can tell me that I haven't seen or done. I know what it means to do what you have to. For the mission. For survival. For your own sanity."

His lips moved like he wanted to reply, but she didn't allow him. "No, I've done things and seen things I may never be able to reconcile with myself or God. But that does not give me the right to put that burden on another man. Now, I don't know what your problem is, but the next time we speak, it had best be civil, or it will be the last."

Without waiting for his reply she shifted her weight back and said. "Good night Lieutenant, I hope you found what you came looking for tonight. Because tomorrow might be too late."

And with that, she left him on the edge of the Easy line and disappeared into the dark again.

Ron POV

He wasn't sure how long he stood in that spot, somewhere between Easy and Dog. He could still feel her warm breath against his skin, the heat from her body radiating off of her even though her eyes had been cold. Jessica's words kept replaying over and over in his head like some unwanted recording.

 _I know what it means to do what you have to. For survival._

He flinched.

 _Tomorrow might be too late._

His stomach clenched and twisted.

Of course he'd wandered into the Easy lines because of her. He hadn't even realised it had happened until he was half way down their line and speaking to a group of soldiers, two of which belonged to her unit.

He wasn't sure what he'd meant to do, but this hadn't been it. She'd always been able to undermine his carefully constructed façade of cool indifference mixed with a healthy dose of intimidation. The emotions, the feeling of helplessness and desperation, that had threatened to overwhelm him when she'd left to go to war had brought the severity of the situation home for him.

In all his life he'd never been the type of man to lose his head over a woman, lose his control. And yet, here was, speechless in the dark, muddy French field. And a part of him hated her for it, but mostly he hated himself for allowing her to leave thinking he somehow didn't care for her.

 _You idiot._

With a frustrated growl he turned and crossed into the Dog line. He did his best to forget her, banish the uncomfortable feeling gnawing at his stomach, but every time he tried he saw her eyes. Those crystal blue eyes that always seemed to sparkle had been nearly grey, and cold as steel as she'd spoken to him. He knew she wasn't bluffing when she said he had one more chance to redeem himself.

 _Damn woman._

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Hello! So excited to be back after the break. I feel well rested and amped for the last few months of 2017._

 _I hope you enjoyed the chapter and pretty soon we're going to be back in the middle of the action!_

 _I love hearing from all of you and as always thank you for the continued support._

 _Have am awesome week._


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 19**

Jessica POV

Standing on her toes she stretched her body out as far as it would go, her arms reaching for the early morning sky. A moan clawed up the back of her throat as her stiff muscles woke up.

Her men waiting nearby gave her curious glances. She ignored them, choosing instead to accept the lukewarm coffee Alex was holding out to her as she joined their semi-circle.

"Well, I hope you all got your beauty sleep, because we're in for a hard day's work."

Most of her team subconsciously rubbed at a muscle left sore and stiff after a night spent in a muddy foxhole, but she could see the apprehension casting shadows in their eyes.

She glanced at her watch as she gulped down the last dregs of coffee. "Right, you all know the plan. We remain spread out across the line. Pick your targets and stay in your pairs. Don't attach your bayonets until you have to. Those things mess up your aim."

"Where will you be, ma'am," Hunt asked.

She turned her attention to the replacement, hoping to instill the nervous looking man with a sense of confidence. "I'll be moving behind the line. Helping where needed."

The team nodded and she spotted a few stealing a glance at their watch.

Inhaling deeply, she allowed her eyes to run over what remained of her unit and said a quick prayer for each one.

She exhaled, driving the air from her lungs in one meaningful huff. "Right, let's get this done."

They turned to leave, her close friends sharing knowing looks with each other. Alex quickly reached for her right hand, gave it a firm squeeze before turning on his heel and leaving for his side of the line.

As Jessica watched him go, a deep frown crossing her forehead, she asked, "How was last night?"

The woman beside her sighed.

She moved so she was facing Arlene. "That bad?"

Her friend shook her head, her helmet wobbling a little as she did. "Just…awkward."

"I assume there's more to the story than that."

"Yip, it could have gone better."

"Hmmmm….well, when today's adventure is done you need to tell me everything."

Her friend simply nodded as she gave her a half-hearted smile.

She was about to mention her own run-in when the high-pitched screech of incoming mortar fire froze the words in her throat. From years of experience she knew the shell was heading in their direction so she grabbed Arlene's jacket and pulled her into the nearest foxhole with her.

"Incoming!" she screamed a split second before the blast rocked the ground beneath them.

Debris and dirt rained down on the two women crouched in the foxhole, the sound oddly reminding her of rain on a tin roof. The blast had just dissipated when the familiar crack of rifle fire sounded all around them.

She slapped Arlene's shoulder and shouted, "Go, I'll provide covering fire."

She turned and stood so she could see over the rim of the foxhole, dimly aware of Arlene clambering out of the hole behind her. The enemy was well hidden in their hedgerow so she aimed just behind each muzzle flash, hoping each bullet found a target at the end of its path.

The rifle slammed into her shoulder with each shot, the rhythmic hammering next to her ear blocking out the screaming and blasts that surrounded her.

 _Ping._

She slammed another clip into her rifle before scrambling out of the hole. Keeping as low as possible she moved behind the line, popping up every so often to let of a short burst of bullets before ducking back down and continuing on.

Her heart strained against her ribcage and her own panting reverberated inside her skull. The screams of the wounded and dying were temporarily drowned out by the thunderous clap of explosions and gunfire, but soon that ever present sound won out over all others.

A soldier went down in front of her, slumping to the ground as if his marionette strings had been cut. She fell to her knees beside him, grabbed his jacket with her one free hand and rolling him over.

Large eyes stared back up at her, shock and panic mixing in equal measure as he reached for her hand. A hail of bullets whizzed past her head. She fell forward, throwing her body over the wounded soldier's.

The firing moved on and she pushed herself upright. She scanned the man's body and quickly found the rapidly spreading blood stain making its way across his chest.

 _Shit._

She filled her lungs and formed the cry for a medic on her tongue when she caught site of the lifeless eyes watching her. The shout died in her throat.

 _Damn._

She pursed her lips and pushed herself up, knowing the key was to continue moving no matter what, but promising the dead man she'd come back to him after the fight.

Arlene POV

She ran through a waterfall of dirt kicked up by an exploding mortar round, spitting out the dirt that had invaded her mouth as she dodged men and bullets.

The earth rocked beneath her feet as round after round hit. The cacophony of sounds threatened to overwhelm and disorientate her, so she focused on her own ragged breathing.

Arlene knew she was close to her section of the line when she spotted Parker lying on his stomach next to Luz, his rifle hammering into his shoulder in time with her breathing.

She threw her body into the space between Parker and the soldier on his other side. Parker glanced over to her, relief momentarily flickering across his features before he turned back to the enemy.

The Germans bombarded their position with mortars and a constant assault of gunfire. Two artillery rounds hit a few feet ahead of them, momentarily hiding the German line behind a curtain of earth.

"Fuck," a familiar voice swore next to her.

She twisted her neck to see Joe pressed into the earth on her other side, his dark eyes intently focused on the enemy position. He looked over to her and for a second the fight raging all around faded away so that all she could hear was her breathing and all she could see was him.

Then, as the curtain of earth fell to the ground the war surged back over them. She jerked her eyes forward, pressed her rifle into her shoulder and felt the trigger give under the pressure of her finger.

She fired round after round, trying to pick out silhouettes against the skyline, but mostly firing at the space behind a muzzle flash or just in the enemy's direction.

Another empty clip was discarded, quickly replaced with a new one slammed into place. Her shoulder was already starting to ache from the rifle slamming into it and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew a nasty bruise was starting to form.

Movement on the right of the German line caught her eye. She frowned, straining to make sense of the shadow moving behind the hedgerow. The flash of a large muzzle provided her brain the context it needed and her blood froze in her veins.

"Tanks," she whispered the word.

"What the hell?" Parker's shouted, pulling her out of her shock.

She turned to look at him. All the colour had drained from his face, his mouth hanging slack as he watched one tank after the other ready to assault their line.

Arlene grabbed his shoulder and shook him. "Keep firing. Pick your target and put him down."

The young soldier gulped and nodded feebly.

"Now!" she barked.

He blinked and turned his attention back to the enemy line, his rifle again adding to the chaos around them.

She turned back in time to see a plume of smoke spill out of the muzzle of one tank a second before the deafening clap drowned out all other noise.

Drawing her eyes away from the tank she found her next target. The German soldiers were walking beside the tanks now, advancing slowly across the field that separated them.

With one pull of her finger a man's head snapped back and he fell to the ground. She turned to find her next target as the German tanks opened fire.

Jessica POV

Jessica stopped dead when she saw the first tank. When she found the second and third she threw herself forward, desperate to find a position where she could fire from.

She spotted Harry, a small space open on his one side, the other occupied by Luz who was shouting into his radio.

Falling down beside Harry his eyes shot over to her, his lips starting to form the words which were drowned out by a tank firing.

The shot had gone to their left flank, where Dog and Fox were. She knew from experience the carnage that blast would enact and she flinched involuntarily.

"It's gonna be our turn soon," she shouted to herself, but the look Harry shot her told her he'd heard.

She lifted her rifle to shoot a soldier walking beside one of the approaching tanks when her eyes spotted the discarded bazooka lying off to the side.

Quickly looking around the she found the bag containing the rounds. She looked from the discarded weapon to the tanks and felt the corner of her lips twist into a lopsided smirk.

Slinging her rifle, she grabbed the bazooka and bag.

"What are you doing?" Harry shouted, grabbing a hold of her arm as she rose.

"Blowing up a tank," she replied.

Of all the things her friend could have said, when he simply replied, "We'll provide covering fire," she knew he was as crazy as she was and that he would have done the same thing if he'd spotted the weapon first.

She scanned the faces of the soldiers closest, hoping to find one of her own. When her eyes landed on a familiar silhouette she shouted, "Green, on me."

Arlene's emerald eyes found her, fell to the weapon in her hand and shot back up to her face. Through the steely determination that darkened her friend's eyes she recognised the glint of excitement. If this was it, they were going to take a tank down with them.

They broke cover and ran out in front of their line, merging a few yards out in the open. She handed Arlene the bazooka and tapped her shoulder when they'd reached the best position.

As one they dropped to one knee, Arlene levelling the bazooka at the closest tank as she loaded a round. She held onto Arlene's empty shoulder, her eyes running down the line of the weapon, across the green grass until they hit grey metal.

"Fire!"

The first shot ricocheted off the metal shell, seeming to anger the tank as if it was a living beast.

A bullet left a warm trail against her skin as it flew past her cheek, others hitting the ground near them.

Jessica loaded the next round and tightened her grip on Arlene's shoulder. With the tank methodically closing the distance between them, they only had one more chance.

"You see that rise?" she shouted to be heard over the firefight.

Arlene's head bobbed up and down. There was a small rise in the middle of the open field directly in the tank's current path.

"Wait until it crests. Then hit its underbelly."

Arlene grunted in understanding.

The tank was only inches away from the crest when a smoke plume burst from the muzzle. She threw herself forward, pushing Arlene down with her as the boom reverberated inside her chest. Wood splinters, hot metal shrapnel and dirt cascaded down on them.

She hissed when a piece of metal found a slither of exposed skin at the nape of her neck, but the pain jolted her into action.

Dragging herself upright she grabbed a hold of Arlene's jacket and yanked her up.

"Goddamnit!" her best friend cursed as she placed the bazooka on her shoulder and settled back.

The tank was painfully close to cresting the small rise. She held her breath, drowning out everything else until her world consisted only of Arlene and a German tank.

The tank's nose lifted and the underbelly appeared. She exhaled and smiled manically as Arlene pulled the trigger. Their round pierced the beast's stomach, metal screeching against metal.

The two friends shot to their feet, turned and ran back to their line. She heard the explosion behind her, felt the shockwave push against her as the tank went up in a ball of black smoke and flames.

They dived over their men and she hit the ground hard. She quickly scrambled around so she was once again facing the enemy, catching Harry and Luz staring at her.

"Shit Cap, you're one crazy lady!" Luz shouted.

"Thanks!" she beamed back at him.

He chuckled and turned back to fire on the enemy. Harry slapped her shoulder and rewarded her with a slightly hysterical gap-toothed grin. "Dick's gonna kill you!"

She registered the words, but filed them away for later consideration, turning her attention to the advancing enemy.

They'd disabled one tank, but more were heading for their line. The enemy soldiers, sensing imminent victory, emerged from the cover of their hedgerow. They walked in-between the tanks, their bayonets glinted in the early morning sun.

She picked off one after the other, never sparing the fallen soldiers a second thought before moving on to their comrade.

A soldier she had in her sights suddenly evaporated into a red mist as the earth at his feet blew up. For a moment she wondered if the field had been mined, but then a German tank exploded and a cheer ran down their line.

"Shermans!" Luz shouted, pointing to their left.

Sherman tanks, their tanks, burst through the hedgerow. The tide turned and the advancing army stopped as if taking a deep breath, and then started systematically retreating. Like a wave the battle reached a peak before slowing ebbing away until only a few stray shots could be heard.

When she couldn't see any more enemy soldiers she dropped her rifle and hung her head. For a brief moment she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and braced herself. With a groan she pushed herself up and stood, taking her rifle with her. She swung the gun over her shoulder and brushed off the mass of dirt, leaves and twigs that had amassed on her uniform.

Harry offered her his canteen and she gladly accepted it. When the liquid unexpectedly burned her throat she scrunched up her face. Her friend grinned at her like a fool, far too pleased with himself.

"You should warn people," she finally managed to croak out.

"Figured you deserved it after blowing up a tank."

"It was a team effort."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll catch Arlene."

She smiled and shook her head. "I need to check on my men."

Harry waved her off as she turned to walk the line.

Of course the first two people she checked on were Arlene and Parker. Both soldiers were unharmed except for a few scrapes and bruises. Parker's eyes were huge, his pupils completely blown and his chest rose and fell quickly. He had a cheek splitting smile on his face which teased a smile from her own lips.

"Everybody okay?" she asked the two.

"Yes, ma'am," the replacement answered enthusiastically.

"Good. Now, drink water and check your ammo supplies. Let me know if you're short."

Both soldiers nodded.

"Good. I'm going to find the rest of the men. Wait for further orders."

"Yes, ma'am," Parker replied. Arlene simply lit a smoke, took one drag and handed it over to her.

She accepted it with a smile before leaving her two soldiers. As she walked away she spotted Joe staring at Arlene, confusion and relief making an odd mix on her face.

Approaching the soldier, she realised he wasn't alone. Guarnere and Toye were with him, the three men sharing a cigarette, the smallest tremor in their hands. A side effect of the massive adrenaline rush.

"Gentlemen," she greeted them.

"Captain," Toye replied, while Bill tipped his helmet at her. Joe's brown eyes flicked to her face but otherwise his expression remained unchanged.

"One hell of a way to start a day, huh?" she asked, trying to suss out their mood.

Guarnere smirked. "Ya know, I usually prefer a coffee and a smoke, but they don't get you going like this."

She smiled, relieved to see their humour was still in place. That was always a good sign. "Liebgott, a word?"

Even wearing his helmet, she saw him frown, but he didn't say anything, simply following her as she left the other two men with a small smile.

Jessica stopped a short distance from Bill and Toye and quickly glanced around to make sure they wouldn't be overheard.

Satisfied they were alone she cut to the chase, saying, "It's what we do Joe. Running onto that field was dangerous, but honestly it doesn't even crack the top 10. You don't have to like it, god knows I hate it when someone else does something exceptionally dangerous, but you have to accept it."

The man sighed and some of the tension left his body. "Yeah, I know. I just hated not being able to do anything."

"I know. Listen, I don't know what happened last night, but the best advice I can give you is to continue to be there for her. Out here isn't the time or place for a private conversation, but you'll get your chance once we return to England."

She thought she saw him smile and he asked, "Why do you care so much?"

With a shrug she replied, "Because I love Arlene so I want what's best for her. And my gut tells me you're it. So don't prove me wrong."

His expression changed, his nonchalant persona gone as only honest vulnerability remained. "I won't"

"Good. See you round."

With that his persona slipped back on and he gave her a casual salute before turning back to his friends.

Richard POV

After the attack had passed he checked his line, briefly stopping to touch base with the men standing or sitting in small groups. He was relieved to see Alex, John, Hunt and West from Jessica's unit had survived unharmed. She hid it well, but he'd noticed the shadow that muddied her blue eyes whenever she thought of those they'd already lost.

When he found Eugene tending to a wounded man he stopped and helped as best he could, but he was sure he was more in the medic's way than anything else. To his credit however the Cajun briefly smiled in thanks when he took his leave.

Through all of this he searched every face for Jessica's. He didn't try to; his mind had just gotten into the habit of searching her out when it wasn't actively engaged with the act of staying alive.

A plait of long blonde hair stopped him in his tracks. He watched her talking to Alex and John. The three friends laughed and John pulled her into a quick embrace before letting her go with a kiss to the top of her head. The two men left men her side, both going off in their own direction, no doubt to carry out one of her orders.

She stayed in one spot, tilting her face up to the sun and a smile slowly spread across her beautiful features. He carefully approached her, his need to talk to her waring with his want to keep admiring her.

Jessica must have sensed someone approaching because her head moved so she was looking directly at him, still smiling, her blue eyes crystal clear.

"I was wondering when I'd run into you," she said.

He stopped in front of her and mentally stopped himself from brushing a wayward strand of hair away from her cheek. "I was hoping to run into you."

Her smile changed and she reached over, lightly brushing her thumb over his cheek. "Dirt," she explained as her hand dropped away.

He ignored the hot streak her touch had left on his cheek, and the heat rising in his chest. Looking for something to do he took of his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. "I saw you running out."

"You're going to tell me it was dangerous and foolish?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she waited for his response.

"It was dangerous and probably foolish, but you did what you had to."

Her eyebrows shot up. This clearly hadn't been the answer she'd expected.

"I'm not happy about it, but knowing you it's part of who you are."

"Are you calling me dangerous and foolish?"

He felt his lips turn up at the corners. "Something like that."

"You know me so well."

He snorted and before he could stop himself he'd pulled her into a one arm hug, his lips pressed onto the top of her head. She gasped in surprise, but didn't resist, instead her body resting against his.

He counted to ten before reluctantly letting go of her, aware that they were in the middle of an army. Putting his helmet back on, he cleared his throat. "Although, at the time, when you were running into the open with a bazooka –"

Jessica held up a finger. "Technically Arlene had the bazooka. I had the bag of ammo."

He rolled his eyes. "Not better and not the point. When it was happening I wanted to run out and drag you back to safety."

"Oh, now that would have ended in a real fight."

"Don't worry, I can hold my own."

She arched one eyebrow and smirked.

There was movement behind her and a moment later a soldier from Battalion joined them.

"Captains," the man greeted them.

"Corporal," they replied in unison.

"Mayor Strayer needs Easy's CO."

"That's you," Jessica said.

"And," the Corporal continued, "Colonel Sink would like to see you, ma'am."

"Is he with Strayer?" she asked.

The soldier shook his head. "No, he's near Dog's line. Or where it had been before they'd retreated."

A frown flashed across Jessica's face and he saw her shoulder tense at the news. When the German tanks had arrived on the field they'd focused their initial attack on Easy's left flank, where their two sister companies Dog and Fox had been.

"I see. I'll head straight there. Thank you Corporal," she replied, all sense of their earlier playfulness gone.

"Ma'am" the man replied, but didn't make a move to leave, clearly waiting for him to follow.

Turning his attention to Jessica he said, "We'll catch-up later."

"Mhm, we'll talk again soon."

Taking his que, the Corporal nodded to Jessica and left, knowing he would be close behind. With a final stolen look at the woman standing beside him he followed after the man, questions rolling around inside his head as he tried to understand the look that had crossed her face when she'd heard about Dog Company. It only took him a few strides to come up with one possible answer.

 _Speirs._

Ron POV

"Speirs," he heard Jessica call him. He stopped and turned to find her marching towards him, the anger in her eyes perfectly mirroring how he felt.

"King," he greeted her, doing his best to keep the avalanche of emotions out of his voice.

Jessica stopped in front of him, hands coming to rest on her hips. He could see her nostrils flare as she struggled to bring her own breathing under control. He waited for her to make the first move, not trusting himself to remain calm and not daring to push his luck with her after their conversation last night.

He saw her eyes run over his body. They paused at a patch of dark blood on his stomach, narrowing ever so slightly.

"Not mine," he said.

Her eyes snapped up to meet his and the anger they held was mixed with another emotion, relief maybe.

"I heard the Dog line retreated when it came under heavy fire. I know falling back isn't really your style," she said by way of explanation.

A smile threatened to break his neutral façade. She was upset because she'd been worried about him. He badly wanted to reach for her, but he could see from the way she'd crossed her arms over her chest it wouldn't be welcome. So instead he lit a cigarette, providing the anxious energy pulsing through his body one outlet.

He took a long drag before holding it out to her. Jessica hesitated and for a second he worried she wouldn't accept the peace offering. Just as he was about to pull his hand back she slowly untangled her arms and reached for him. As she took the cigarette their fingers brushed and an electric shock ran from his hand into his core.

Clearing his throat to hide a groan he said, "I heard about your stunt?"

"Stunt?" she said, the single word holding a thinly veiled threat.

As she handed the cigarette back to him, smoke hanging between them, he said, "Running into the open to shoot a tank."

"Oh, that. Where did you hear about it? It's been less than an hour."

He passed the cigarette back to her, blowing out the smoke that filled his lungs. "Two soldiers running into an open field with a bazooka to blow up a tank tends to get people talking. More so if said soldiers are the only two women around."

Jessica rolled her eyes, but he thought he glimpsed a proud smirk tugging at the corner of the lips curled around the cigarette. She held it out to him and said, "Well, I suppose they've fully discussed you jumping out of a trench on D-Day to take a German gun practically by yourself so they needed a new story."

"Fair enough."

He offered the cigarette to her, but she waved him off, her blue eyes scanning the men behind him. "I suppose we're similar in that respect. Both willing to do what has to be done. All hope of making it out alive forgotten."

Her words were like a slap across his face. He dropped his head to focus on the boot stomping out the cigarette to hide the flinch that crossed his face. Regaining his composure, he looked back up to find her staring at him, her blue eyes softer than they'd been in a long time.

"I….," he struggled with the words and she quirked her head to one side, expectantly watching him. Taking a deep breath, he pushed on. "I never wanted that for you. I want you to have hope, because I need to have hope that you'll survive."

As the final word rolled off of his tongue his heart stopped beating. He studied the woman standing in front of him for any sign of the impact his words had on her. He felt more vulnerable and exposed in that moment than he ever did jumping out of that trench under enemy fire.

Jessica's eyes glistened in the sun and he saw her swallow. "Ron," as almost whispered his name, "I just want the same for you."

Her eyes were pleading, for what he didn't know, but the instinct to draw her close to him overwhelmed all logic. He closed the space between them and enveloped her in an embrace. Jessica buried her face into his chest and he rested his chin on top of her helmet. She felt small and fragile against him, even though he knew better.

He felt her chest rise and fall against his body as she took a deep breath and then she slowly pulled away from him. He let her go even though it pained him to do so.

A feint smile crossed her lips as she said, "I need to find Colonel Sink."

He straightened out and dropped his usual mask back onto his face even though he knew she wasn't fooled by it. He pointed to the field that had separated them from the Germans. "He's with the CO, over there."

"Thanks. And we'll talk soon. I owe you a smoke."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "You owe me a few. You've taken mine since the first night we met."

Jessica smiled devilishly. "Seems only fair. Since you keep stealing other people's. Someone has to even the score."

"And you've taken it upon yourself?

"Are you complaining?"

He chuckled. "No ma'am."

"Good. See you around Lieutenant," she replied, and with a wink she turned and left him, once again, standing by himself wondering what the hell he was going to do.

XXXXXXX

 _Hello! Hope everyone has a great weekend behind them and that the week ahead treats you well._

 _I adore the bazooka vs tank scene. It's just sooo much fun to write the action and everyone's reaction._

 _Anywho, special thanks to the amazing Guest reviewer for the feedback. Love hearing from you and so glad you're enjoying the story!_


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply**

 **Chapter 20**

Arlene POV

Leaning against the railing of the troop ship she closed her eyes, allowing the sea breeze to momentarily carry away the last month. She felt someone come to stand on her right, but she didn't open her eyes. She knew who it was. Her tongue flicked across her chapped lips and she tasted the sea salt that clung to her skin.

After nearly a month of fighting, Easy had finally been pulled off of the line. The men had a chance to shower, eat warm food, get clean uniforms and rest before shipping back to England. Their unit on the other hand had been ordered to stay in the field working reconnaissance until the last possible moment. They'd literally run onto the troop ship as it had prepared to set sail.

"The men are below deck grabbing something to eat," her best friend said.

She opened her eyes and turned her head so she could look at the blonde standing next to her. Jessica had her back to the ocean, leaning against the railing as her eyes casually observed the few soldiers standing on the upper deck. Just like her own hair, Jessica's was hidden underneath a cap. There was no point in creating more of a scene than necessary and their men had insisted on escorting them everywhere on the ship. As soon as they got some food of course.

"I'm not hungry," she answered the unasked question.

Jessica nodded and turned to face the sea. They stared out over the lapping water as the European mainland grew smaller and smaller.

"We'll have a 5-day pass when we get to Aldbourne. I swear I'm spending all of mine in bed," her friend said.

She arched one eyebrow and smiled mischievously.

Jessica playfully slapped her arm. "Alone. Geez."

"Hey, a girl has needs."

Her friend groaned. "That seems like a lot of effort right now."

She snorted and was about to agree when a flash back of her night spent with Joe stopped the words dead in their tracks.

Something must have given her away because Jessica asked, "New York?"

She wanted to deny it, but her brain was too tired to come up with a coherent one. "God, yes."

Jessica burst out laughing, bracing herself on the railing to stop herself from slipping onto the filthy floor.

"It's not that funny."

Through her fit of giggles Jessica stammered out, "Yes, yes it is. You sounded like a man lost in the desert finally finding water. You know, all you had to do was ask and I would have made some plans for you two in France."

"Really? In the middle of that muddy mess where you can't even go relieve your bowels in private, you would have made a plan? Really?"

Still breathing heavily after her giggling fit Jessica simply replied, "I would have tried! That way I can live vicariously through you."

"Oh, I see. I must have imagined the two handsome officers vying for your attention."

"Vying?"

"Yes, vying. That's my word choice and I'm sticking to it."

"Hell, you really are sleep deprived if you're the one being dramatic."

A desperate laugh clawed its way up the back of her throat. "So tired."

The two best friends descended into a fit of exhausted laughter. Their legs slowly gave way under them and they slid onto the deck, turning so their backs were resting against the metal hull.

As the fit started to subside she wiped the tears from her eyes. Drawing up her legs so she could rest her temple against her knee she studied her friend. Through all the filth that caked Jessica's skin she could tell the other woman had aged, and judging by how she felt this was a mirror image of herself.

"What do you want?" she asked.

Jessica's head softly fell back to rest against the hull. "World peace an option?"

"Probably not."

"I don't know. I've barely spoken to either Richard or Ron. Huh, both their names start with an R. Odd."

She waited for Jessica's exhausted brain to get back on track.

The blonde lifted her head and shook it as if to straighten her thoughts. "With Richard I feel like I can breathe and with Ron I'm always out of breath."

"That's a big difference."

"I know. It would be easier if I could spend some time alone with both of them away from the military and all its rules and decorum. Just get to really know them and give them a chance to know me. The me away from it all."

"We'll be in England for a while, you'll get that chance."

As Jessica reached inside her jacket for her cigarette's and lighter she said, "Maybe."

"Maybe?" she asked, accepting the cigarette Jessica had lit for her.

Blowing out a long stream of smoke the other woman replied, "They had months before we deployed. I don't see what's going to be any different now. Maybe I'm more of a fascination to them than someone they actually want to be with."

Flicking the ash that had gathered on the tip of her own cigarette to the ground she said, "Richard did ask you out, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. But that was months ago. A lot has happened since then."

"And your gifts?"

Jessica's hands unconsciously reached for her chest and ankle as a soft smile lightened her face.

"Not that much has changed. Now it's your turn for some advice. Give them a chance."

"Yes mom."

She rolled her eyes and added, "After you've showered and slept. Right now you look like death warmed up."

"Oh, thanks! Good to know how my look reflects how I feel."

They passed a few moments in companionable silence before Jessica asked, "And Joe? I know you two had that tense conversation after Carentan, but any new updates?"

She thought about the question for a moment. They hadn't been alone again long enough to really talk. All the time they'd spent together had been in a group or a fight. But Joe had always been close by and on more than one occasion he'd cracked a joke or offered her a cigarette when things had gone poorly.

"He's actually been rather great. Nothing dramatic or spectacular. He's just really been there and not once did he give me hell for doing something dangerous. Well, more dangerous than usual."

"Not even the bazooka incident? As it's now known."

She felt her face brighten as she recalled his reaction, the evident concern which had threatened to turn into anger so plainly obvious in the depths of his brown eyes. "Oh, he had something to say about it! I could see him trying really hard not to lose his cool as he casually sussed out if that was the norm. It was actually pretty adorable."

"Hm, I'm glad to hear he's behaving. I do think the two of you could be good together."

She narrowed her eyes at her friend and studied her for a few moments. "What did you say to him?"

Jessica held up her hands to feign innocence but there was an unmistakable twinkle to her eyes. "Nothing….much."

"Jessica!"

"Oh, calm down. I pretty much told him the same things I've told you. But you really need to talk."

She sighed, too tired to stay mad at her friend and secretly pleased Joe had taken to heart whatever advice Jessica had given him. Not that she'd admit it. Jessica didn't need any more encouragement. "I know. It just didn't go so well last time."

"Last time you were standing in the rain with Germans only a few yards away. Not ideal circumstances. Besides, at least now you know what has to be discussed so you can prepare."

She scrunched up her face at the thought of discussing the reason behind why she'd really left him that morning in New York.

"You jump out of planes, run into enemy fire, shoot bazookas at tanks. You can talk to one man."

"Somehow none of those things felt this scary."

"That's because you're in love with Joe."

Her head snapped up and she sputtered, "Hold your horses! No one said anything about love."

"Technically I just did, so…."

She replied with a flat stare that only earned her an overly innocent smile from her friend.

"Sometimes you're impossible."

Jessica shrugged. "I'll add that to my list of traits. Dangerous, foolish and sometimes impossible."

"You forgot stubborn."

"I prefer to think of it as single minded determination."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, but a smile pulled at her lips.

 _In love with Joe. Oh, God, is Jessica right? Damnit._

Jessica POV

Turning onto her stomach the white duvet tangled around her legs. She groaned into the soft pillow.

 _Why is it so damn bright? Someone turn of the goddamn light._

After staying in that position for a number of minutes she made peace with the fact that none of her imaginary friends were coming to turn of the blinding light. Painfully slowly she turned onto her back, kicking her legs free of their blanket prison as she went. Her eyes still closed she blindly fumbled for the watch that she'd left on her nightstand. When her fingers found the familiar shape they clumsily curled around it. She brought it close to her face, opening her eyes only a slither so she could read the hands.

 _Noon._

Her eyes found the small number indicating the date and she could feel her brain struggle with the simple math.

 _Shit, I've been asleep for almost a day._

She allowed the watch to slip from her feeble grasp as she allowed her eyes to fall close, seriously considering simply going back to sleep. She knew most of her men would be spending their 5-day pass and back pay in London. She and Alex would go up for one day to meet with Command to confirm the new leadership of their team now that Clark was officially missing in combat. Other than that though she had no intention of spending her precious free time in London. Actually, at that exact moment she was seriously considering sleeping for the full 5 days.

Just as she started to drift off a sharp knock on her bedroom door jerked her back towards wakefulness.

"Fuck," she swore under her breath, but managed to croak out a more coherent, "Yes?"

"It's Nixon. Can I come in?" her friend's muffled voice came from behind the closed door.

She groaned and shut her eyes tight. "Did someone die?"

There was a pause followed by an uncertain, "No."

"Busy dying?"

"No.

"Then go away."

When only silence followed she assumed Nixon had left. She had just turned onto her side when she heard the door handle turn and the hinges squeak, protesting on her behalf.

Without turning to look at the door, and the man she knew was standing in it, she mumbled, "Sure, come in."

Footsteps and a suppressed chuckle made a beeline for her bed. She felt the mattress shift as Nixon sat down next to her, her friend saying, "I was beginning to worry you'd run away or something."

She turned over so she was facing her friend, making peace with the interruption and giving in to the situation. As she'd guessed Nixon was sitting with his back against the headboard, one leg stretched out on her bed while the other dangled off of the side. He was wearing a uniform, which judging by the smell of him and it how look he'd slept in after spending most of the night at the closest pub.

"You need a shower," she mumbled, eyes narrowed into thin slits.

He sniffed and replied, "So do you. And a you need to brush your teeth."

"You can leave if it bothers you."

In response her leaned forward to start undoing his shoe laces.

"Or get more comfortable. Either way."

She waited until he'd gotten rid of his shoes and settled back onto the bed, both long legs now on her mattress, crossed at the ankles. "You shouldn't just barge in to my room. What if I was naked?"

His lips turned up into a lopsided smile and a warm flush spread up his cheeks. "It would have been a great start to a day."

"It's noon."

"We both just woke up. So, it's the start to our day."

"I'm pretty sure there's flawed logic in there somewhere. But my brain's too tired to try and find it."

"How can you be tired? You've been sleeping since we got back."

"Magic."

Her friend snorted as he made himself more comfortable, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. She watched as the lines around his mouth and eyes faded, wiping years off of his features. His breathing became heavy, the soothing sound slowing drawing her eyes closed with each breath.

Nixon POV

He blinked up at the unfamiliar ceiling, trying to remember where he was and how he'd gotten there. It was then that he became aware of the warm body snuggled into his side. His heart leapt into his throat as his hungover brain tried to catch up with the situation he found himself in.

Remaining as still as possible, hardly daring to breathe, he tried to start working through the last few hours.

 _Okay, drinks with Dick. There's was pretty redhead there. Did we talk? Yes, yes we talked._

The women at his side moaned softly and pushed herself in closer to him. He froze, not daring to even think now, and waited. When her breathing evened out again his muscles relaxed, but he remained painfully aware of the body curled into a ball next to him, her warm breath seeping through his shirt to heat his skin.

 _Shirt? Okay, so I'm still wearing my shirt. Right Nixon, redhead. Dick left you after a few, and then you were alone with her. Fuck, how much did you have to drink? Did you leave together? What was her name? Kathy, Becky? Jesus what a mess._

As if sensing his thoughts his companion stirred, her body slowly uncurling as she rolled away from him. He considered pretending to still be asleep, but felt like a coward for even entertaining the idea. So instead he slowly turned just his head until his eyes found the face of the woman lying next to him. He nearly choked when his eyes landed on Jessica's soft blonde hair cascading down the pillow to frame her puffy face, the pillow leaving a soft line running across one cheek. The late afternoon sun seeped through the window, given her a golden glow he didn't think was natural. She slowly turned her head, a lazy smile on her full lips as those pale blue eyes found his.

"Hey," she whispered, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Ummm…..," was all he could manage.

Jessica turned and rose slightly so her head was propped up by one hand. "Are you okay? You look like you're about to have a heart attack."

"Fine. Just fine," he managed to croak out.

"Oh god, you're not going to be sick in my bed are you? Please don't, everything is so clean."

He stared at her, the woman who'd become one of his closest friends as he tried to find the words to apologise for whatever he'd done. The previous evening was beginning to come back to him in drips and drabs. He'd left the bar with the redhead sometime after one o'clock in the morning. After spending a few hours with her he'd made his way to his billet, by some miracle managing to miss everyone and sneak into his room.

 _Then what? How the hell did I end up in Jessica's bed?_

"Nix?" she called, reaching for him. "I can't believe we both fell asleep again. You must've had one hell of a night. When you barged in here earlier I swore you were planning on dragging me out into the world."

"What?" he said, the word stumbling from between his lips before he could stop it.

She frowned and sat up, taking the sheet with her as she went. With the white fabric tucked in around her chest so only the top of the old army shirt she slept in was visible she answered, "You came into my room around noon. I thought you were going to try and get me up. A task you would have failed spectacularly in by the way. But instead you kicked off your shoes and fell asleep."

It was only then that he bothered to properly look around the room. He still had all his clothes on, and judging by the look of them it was the same uniform he'd worn out the previous evening. He could see one shoe lying on the floor and the bedroom door stood wide open.

His head sagged and he laughed, relief washing over him as he realised he hadn't made the biggest mistake of his entire life.

When he finally regained control and looked up Jessica was staring at him, a smirk on her lips. "You thought we'd slept together, didn't you?"

"I…ummm….well…."

He'd expected a lot of reactions, but when she threw her head back and laughed he stared at her. Confused, relieved and astounded in equal measure.

"Shit Nix," she managed through giggles, "I like to think you'd clearly remember if it did happen. Also, I think I'm offended."

"Why?"

She took a deep breath and said, "Well, you looked like you were about to faint. I'm a bit offended that the mere thought of sleeping with me strikes such panic into you."

He abruptly pushed himself into a sitting position, moving so quickly the room spun slightly. "No, Jess. Shit, it's not like that. We're…well you and I…You're amazing and any guy would be lucky. But…it's us and there's Dick and not to mention Speirs would kill me."

He ran out of words to say so decided instead to run his hand over his face. Hoping to wake up his brain so he could string a coherent sentence together.

"Nix," Jessica said, a hand gently coming to rest on his shoulder. "I was just teasing you. I know what you mean. You're very handsome and judging by the lipstick stain on your collar you know it, but it's you and me. We can sleep in the same bed, and by the way you make an amazing human pillow so I may crawl into yours at some point, but we will never sleep together."

He dropped his hand and turned his head slightly so he could look at her. Her eyes were soft, the blue almost translucent in the light, and the softest of smiles graced her features. She looked young and relaxed and happy. Things he hadn't been able to associate with her since she'd left them standing in the officers' mess.

He reached for her hand, gently entangling their fingers. "You know I'd do anything for you, right kid?"

"I know Nix. You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you right?"

He felt his lips move into a smile. Leaning over he pressed a kiss onto her forehead before resting his forehead against hers. His eyes closed of their own accord as he felt all the tension he'd built up for months slowly seep from his bones.

"Clark's dead." She said it so softly he would have missed the words if it hadn't been for the warm tear landing on his hand.

He was able to pull her against him, her smaller body fitting onto his lap, just as the first sob tore through her chest. Jessica buried her face into his shoulder and he held her tight as sob after sob shook her frame. He felt his own grief start to claw up the back of his throat as his eyes stung.

"Sshhhh….," he cooed, rocking them back and forth as silent tears rolled down his cheeks.

Nixon didn't hear Jane approach, or see the single tear that rolled down her cheek, but he heard the door softly shut behind him, a whispered prayer hanging in the air.

Joe POV

 _Joe_

 _Meet me at our hill tomorrow at 17:00._

 _Arlene_

Flopping back on his bunk, holding the scrap of paper to his chest, he sighed. Arlene had handed him the letter as they'd disembarked from the troopship. Unlike the time he'd watched her disembark after their journey from the States, they hadn't remained separated from everyone else. He assumed it had more to do with the fact that they had an entire Company watching out for them, or the fact that everyone was too exhausted to care, than any real change in the Military's opinion of women on ships.

When she'd slipped the scrap of yellowing paper into his palm she'd smiled, and even through the layer of grime that covered her face he was caught off guard by how beautiful she was. To him, she was perfection, whether she was wearing a ball gown or a destroyed uniform, it didn't matter.

As soon as the paper had touched his skin she'd vanished into the see of soldiers, her small frame protectively dwarfed by her men's. He'd shoved the letter inside his jacket, resisting the urge to read it right then and there. He hadn't wanted to risk losing it in the press of bodies, or have some nosy comrade read it over his shoulder.

He closed his eyes, trying and failing to fall asleep. The billet was quiet since most of the men had already left for London and the few that remained were out in the village. Of course most of the guys had wondered out loud why he wasn't joining them in London straight away, but as quickly as the question came up they got distracted and dropped it.

With a frustrated sigh he pulled himself up and out of the bed. He was kidding himself if he thought he'd be able to sleep with the anticipation wreaking havoc on his nerves. Walking to the door he checked his wristwatch again, his stomach sinking in disappointment when he noticed the hands had hardly moved since he'd last checked it.

 _Noon. Fuck._

He stopped just outside the billet and casually leaned against the doorframe. He lit a cigarette, allowing the nicotine filled warm smoke to soothe his nerves as he played out every possible scenario in his mind.

Joe wasn't an idiot, despite how he sometimes acted, he knew this meeting would determine what happened between them going forward, or didn't happen. It was that exact knowledge that was making it impossible to sleep or concentrate on anything else, his stomach a tight knot sitting in his throat.

 _Right, scenario one: She wants tell you it was all a mistake and she never wants anything to do with you._

 _Scenario two: She suffered from temporary insanity and wants nothing to do with you._

 _Scenario three: She wanted you but has changed her mind. It's done before it even really began and he needs to accept that._

He roughly ran a hand through his hair and over his face, groaning into his palm. He was pretty sure Arlene wasn't the type to ask him to meet her alone at a spot where they shared a happy memory just to tell him off. But still, it could happen and that alone was enough to make him feel sick.

In one practiced movement he tossed the cigarette stump to the ground, stomping it out as he lit another one. He made a note to scrounge another pack as soon as possible, at this rate he was going to be out sooner rather than later.

As he blew out a long trail of smoke, watching the grey cloud be carried away by a light breeze he continued his mental exercise.

 _Scenario four: They have a massive fight and it all ends in a flaming mess. Possible, very fucking possible. Especially considering their track record._

 _Scenario five: She finally tells him why she'd left him in New York and it's something he just can't get past. Maybe she has a husband hidden away somewhere. Actually, scratch that, if she was going to leave the husband he'd be okay with it._

 _Scenario six: It all works out. And then one of them dies in some unimportant battle that no one will ever remember._

 _Well, no one ever accused him of being the overly optimistic type._

He threw his head back in frustration, unintentionally knocking it against the doorframe he was leaning against.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," he growled, vigorously rubbing the back of his head.

This was going to be a long afternoon.

Arlene POV

The summer breeze played with her loose hair as she curled her toes into the green grass. The fabric of her tea length dress gently swayed against her bare legs, the small red flowers on her dress dancing on the white field.

From where she stood at the top of the small hill she watched the jeep pull closer, a dust cloud following its path before dissipating into the late afternoon sky.

Arlene smoothed down her dress and tucked some wayward hair behind her ears. Between growing up with her parents who believed in everything being just so, her training and subsequent work, she had more than enough experience in acting one way while feeling another. But try as she might she couldn't stop herself from fidgeting, the anticipation turning her insides into one tightly wound ball.

Her eyes followed Joe as he started to walk up the slight hill. His dress uniform, minus the jacket, fit his slender frame perfectly, accentuating the strength in his shoulders and his narrow hips. His dark hair was slicked back, drawing focus to his sharp features. Joe kept his eyes trained on the ground in front of him, making it impossible for her to read his emotions through them.

She stopped herself as she started to smooth over the non-existent creases in her dress again. Taking more effort than it should, she clamped her hands behind her back, rolled her shoulders and tried to relax her facial muscles less they give her away.

 _This was it. It's now or never_ , she thought, self-consciously clearing her throat as she tried to dislodge the nerves.

Joe stopped in front of her, close enough to touch, but neither one of them moved. It was only then that he raised his eyes to meet hers and she had to clench her hands painfully behind her back to stop herself from reaching for him. His dark eyes, usually so full of swagger and confidence, were brimming with uncertainty and apprehension. His lips were set into a thin line, and now that he was close she could see the muscles in his jaw strain as he tried to remain in control of whatever emotion he was feeling.

 _Well, this is dramatic_ , she thought, silently groaning.

Hoping to defuse some of the palpable tension she gestured to the dark blue blanket lying on the grass. "Let's sit. We'll be able to see the sunset from here."

Taking a seat next to one another she crossed her legs in front of her, eyes darting between the horizon and her silent companion.

"Thank you for coming. I'm sure you wanted to go to London with the rest of the boys. Heaven knows Bill pestered me to go with them. That man does not take no for an answer."

They both laughed at her attempt at a joke, but the sound was strained and faded quickly. An awkward silence fell between them and she knew she should be the one to break it. She had asked him here after all. But every time she started to form a sentence in her mind she discarded it, unsure of how to start.

Joe thankfully saved her from her inner monologue by clearing his throat and saying, "I was never going to go to London. Not unless you were."

Understanding the meaning behind his words her head slowly moved until she met his dark eyes steadily watching her. Neither one dared to move as the world around them faded away to nothing and she could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her. The twitch of Joe's one finger reminded her lungs they needed air. They screamed back to life, demanding her attention, and with a snap the moment passed as she tried to hide her gasping for air by turning back to the horizon.

Her eyes found a patch of white clouds to study as she scraped together all her courage and said, "You asked me why I left you in New York."

From the corner of her eyes she saw his long legs stretch out in front of them. "Mhm."

"Well, the reasons I gave in my letter were and are all true. Not one was a lie. They just weren't the whole truth."

She played with the hem of her skirt, gathering her thoughts as Joe waited patiently for her to continue. "Shortly after the British withdrew from France our unit was sent back to Europe. The idea was that we would mostly work with local resistance movements and gather intelligence which we would filter back to England and America."

"Mostly?"

She nodded. "Every so often we took part in joint missions with the British Expeditionary Forces, but mostly we worked with resistance movements."

Arlene heard him hum and took it as a sign to continue. Pulling out a stray thread from her dress' hem she said, "When we were working in Holland I met and started a relationship with a man named Michael. He was from Germany, but worked with the local resistance movement. For over a year we operated between Holland, Germany and France."

Joe grabbed her shoulder. "Wait, what?"

She turned her head so she could look at him, not sure which part he'd missed.

He must have read her confusion on her face because he clarified, "Germany?"

Arlene blinked, suddenly acutely aware of his steady hand holding onto her shoulder. She gulped, hoping he didn't hear the nose from his position. "Yes, Germany. Not a lot and it was mostly Jessica and I that would go with Michael. The men drew too much attention."

His eyes flicked to the hand still holding onto her and suddenly it dropped away, leaving a scorching print in its absence. "Fuck. Germany."

Joe looked away from her, staring off into the blue sky, maybe even tracking the same cloud she'd fixed her gaze on moments earlier.

Arlene waited a few moments, giving him time to digest everything she'd just shared. She tore out a blade of grass and started to slowly pull it apart. All the time aware of every breath the man sitting beside her took.

She heard him breathe deeply before he asked, "Did he die? Michael. Is that it?"

She snorted before she could think to stop herself. "No, although that would have saved us all a lot of trouble and blood."

His head snapped around, eyebrows furrowed into a deep V. She watched him from the corner of her eye but didn't turn to face him, if she did she wasn't sure she'd be able to get through the rest of her confession. "Jessica and I were working with two SOE agents in Holland, near the German border. The assignment was supposed to be relatively short, but it had ended up dragging on for weeks. Our communication with the resistance and our men was limited, but even so, when our communication lines suddenly broke down we knew something had gone wrong."

Joe shifted, his body leaning towards hers. She dared to steal a glance at him and all she found in his eyes was genuine concern, laid bare for all to see.

She turned away, once again finding her patch of clouds. She needed to keep it together and seeing his concern for her wasn't going to help. Not now at least. "We were about to leave when I received an encoded message from Michael telling us we'd been compromised and the Nazi's were moving in. He…ummmm…he'd set up an extraction for us. Gave me the directions to an abandoned airfield outside town."

"Okay," Joe said, drawing out each syllable.

"When we reached the airfield it was pitch black expect for a jeep which had its headlights on. The lights were shining directly into our eyes, but I was able to make out a man's shape leaning against the car. It looked like Michael."

"Was it him?"

"Mhm, it was him. I'd know that shadow in the dark. That's why I didn't question anything, just hopped right out."

She paused and pressed a hand to her heart as if she could slow its hammering. Her breathing had sped up as she'd told the story, the suppressed memory still as vibrant as ever. She knew she had to regain control or her raw emotions would win out.

Strong fingers intertwined with hers as Joe rubbed soothing circles onto her back. "You don't have to tell me the rest."

She took a deep breath, leaning ever so slightly into the hand rubbing her back. It stilled, but stayed pressed to her. "I want to."

Opening her eyes she continued, doing her best to keep her voice factual. The emotions would come later. "Jess was driving. When we all got out she stayed put, kept the engine running. I saw her take her pistol out, eyes jumping side to side. I told her to get out because we had to go and she said we had to get back in, that something was off. I –," her voice cracked a fraction and she swallowed her words.

Steadying herself she continued, "I told her it was just because it was Michael. She'd never liked him. Didn't trust him for a damn. When we'd started dating she would say as much and when it had become very serious she'd tolerate him. Barely."

She tracked the path of a bird languidly flying across the blue sky. "Anyway, soon enough the two SOE agents started shouting. Telling us to move our asses. Then Michael approached the car, ordering us to move. Saying we didn't have enough time. We were all shouting, the SOE agents were already walking towards the plane and then…Jess just stopped."

The silence stretched out between them as she tried to suppress the images flashing through her mind's eye. Joe didn't say anything, but his grip on her hand tightened and the weight of his hand on her back increased, grounding her to the here and now. She blinked and for a second she was back on that airfield. She took a deep breath, her free hand gripping the blanket they were sitting on for dear life.

"I'd been watching Michael," her voice sounded far away to her own ears, like it belonged to a stranger telling a story she didn't know, "he was maybe three feet away from me, but the moment Jessica fell quiet I knew."

For the first time since she'd started telling the story she risked looking at Joe. The sympathy and dread in his eyes nearly overwhelmed her. She quickly jerked her head forward and continued, "The next moment Jess fired a shot into the shadow nearest to the one SOE agent and a Nazi officer stumbled out, clutching his stomach. There was this odd, perfect moment, where no one moved, or breathed. And then hell broke out. We all had a loaded gun, but we were outnumbered three to one at least. Germans, Gestapo and SS, streamed out of the shadows. Jessica and the SOE agent closest to me had opened fire. The other agent had gotten off a few shots when two SS tackled her. She screamed and screamed as they beat her."

Her head dropped as she tried to silence the screaming in her head. The woman's desperate cries for help. "Jessica was screaming at me to get in the car and I just stood there. I stood there as Michael, the man I loved and was convinced I was going to spend my life with, shouted orders, in German. I was frozen, so when he rushed me and grabbed my arm I didn't do anything. I just let it happen. I let all of it happen."

"Arlene, what happened wasn't your fault," Joe said, his words sure and strong, but she ignored them.

"He started to drag me off and I knew I should fight back, but I couldn't. None of my training or experience helped. I was frozen. The next thing I know he drops my arm, screeching something awful. It was that sound that really snapped me to. I stumbled back to the car. As soon as I fell into a seat Jessica sped off like a bat out of hell. She took some back roads she hadn't told any of us about. Driving without headlights on so we couldn't be followed. She hadn't told any of us about the roads because she knew I'd tell Michael."

She choked out a dark laugh and shook her head. _God, she'd been such a fool._

"By the time we reached a safe house it was almost dawn. There was enough light for me to see that not only had we lost one agent to the Gestapo, but Jessica had been shot. She'd been hit when she'd gotten out of the car to shoot Michael as he was escorting me to my torture and death. The bullet was lodged in her shoulder, we had to dig it out that night using old kitchen utensils. She lost a lot of blood."

"Shit," he sighed.

"Later we found out Michael had been working for the Gestapo the whole time. His mission had been to infiltrate the Dutch resistance so he could pass on information. After more than a year his superiors had felt our relationship would compromise his ability to do his job so they'd issued him an order. Bring us in. They didn't have to worry though. He wasn't compromised."

She twisted her body around so they were facing, anger and pain distorting her features and darkening her voice as hysteria slowly crept in. "He was leaning against the fucking car while he waited for us. Not a care in the damn world. So, you see the last man I loved nearly killed me, and I mean that in every sense of the word. I can never forgive myself for it. Not after the price everybody else had to pay."

"Arlene-,"

She cut him off, words now streaming from her lips. "I know you're not a Nazi spy working for the Gestapo, Joe. I know you're a good man. But I don't know if I deserve you after everything I've done, caused, and honestly, I'm petrified. I know I won't survive you. Not if you break my heart."

A tear rolled down her cheek. She started to turn away from the Joe, using the back of her hand to brush away the stream of tears now running down her face.

"Arlene," Joe whispered, but she didn't turn back to him. He gently reached for her face, cupping her tear stained cheek with one hand. He turned her face back to him, a thumb softly stroking her cheek.

"Arlene," he started again, his voice soft and vulnerable, "the moment you walked into that club there was only you and some part of me knew there would only ever be you. That's why I acted like such an idiot, walking around with that girl on my arm, being a jerk. I didn't know what to do because everything I ever thought I knew, you'd turned upside down. If you're petrified that's great because I feel the same way. I have since we met."

Her right hand drifted up to his face, coming to rest against his cheek. She felt her body relax, all the tension it had held since jumping into France months earlier evaporating. In perfect unison their bodies bowed towards one another, bending and moulding until she was wrapped up in his strong arms. He slightly bent his head so their noses brushed and her heart leapt into her throat.

Joe's warm breath caressed the soft skin of her lips. She curled her fingers around each bicep and felt his muscles jump under her touch. Her eyes fluttered closed as his gently brought his lips to meet hers.

She pulled away a fraction and whispered against his lips, "Maybe we can be petrified together?"

Arlene felt him smile. "Yeah, we can do that."

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Hello lovely people! Hope the weekend is treating everyone well. I had so much fun writing this chapter so I hope you all really enjoy reading it. And, that it finally answers some questions._

 _Thank you to every review (makes my day every time hearing from you all!) and everyone that came back to the story. If you added the story to your alerts or favorites now or in the past you are amazing._


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 21**

Jessica POV

Jessica paused at the top of the train's steps before accepting Alex's offered hand. With his help she managed to gracefully navigate the three narrow stairs leading from the train to the platform.

Still holding her hand Alex led them a short distance away from the small crowd disembarking the train from London to Aldbourne to where they could see five familiar faces anxiously awaiting their arrival. John had taken the three remaining replacements to London but all four men had travelled back to Aldbourne that afternoon for this specific reason.

Arlene and John did a good job of hiding their nerves and it was only because she knew them as well as she did that she was able to spot the tell-tale signs. Their three newest recruits however did a terrible job of it. Hunt and Parker were shifting their weight fractionally side to side while West's bottom lip seemed to have found a permanent home between his teeth.

She smiled to herself as they neared the group. Everyone had opted to wear their dress uniform without being given an instruction to do so. She recognised it for what it was, their way of showing their respect for their commanding officers, both old and new.

When they stopped in front of the waiting soldiers they snapped to attention, sharply saluting the two returning officers. Alex dropped her hand and in one fluid movement they returned the sharp salute.

"As you were," she said and everyone relaxed.

She looked over to Alex and the late summer sun caught his new captain's bars, nearly blinding her. From the corner of her eye she saw Parker nudge Hunt and there was an audible exhale to her left where John stood.

 _God, this could have gone so very differently. Badly,_ she thought, nearly flinching at the possibility.

She winked at her friend and he took the cue. "Well, I'll make this quick. I've been promoted to captain and Jessica has rightfully retained her captaincy. The official line is that I'm the unit CO, however Jessica and I will split this responsibility just like she and Clark had."

For a second a shadow darkened Alex's eyes at the mention of Clark's name, but it vanished before it could leave a lasting imprint. "Any questions?" he asked.

On the train ride back from London they'd gone over all the logistics of their new arrangement, which of course wasn't new to her at all. Alex had been unsure of himself and unwilling to make any real demands lest he step on her toes. She'd quickly called him out on this. As much as she appreciated the gesture and understood that if came from a good place, if they were going to make this work he'd need to move past the way their working relationship had been and embrace how it now was.

"Are we getting any replacements?" John asked.

She turned to look at him and answered. "Yes, we're getting five replacements. They've already been selected for us."

There was a collective groan amongst the group.

"Yes, we know. Not ideal, but we've looked over all their files and on paper they're adequate."

Arlene cleared her throat and all eyes turned to her. "Do they have any combat experience?"

Alex shook his head. "No. They're fresh out of training. Which means we'll be doing a lot of training once they join."

"And when is that, sir?" West asked.

"They're already in England and should arrive in Aldbourne in the next day or two along with the Easy Company replacements. We're going to give clear instructions for them to be billeted with you three."

The three sergeants nodded and she noticed the glint in their eyes. Soon they would no longer be the replacements.

"We expect you three," she said and their heads snapped to her, "to ensure they integrate quickly and efficiently. You will be setting an example of the behaviours and standards we expect."

"Yes, ma'am," the three soldiers chimed.

"Also," she continued, "with the influx of replacements you should expect some inappropriate comments."

Arlene sighed and she felt Alex stiffen next to her as John's handsome face was marred by an ugly scowl. The three sergeants seemed confused however, their eyebrows knitted together in almost perfect mirror images. "About myself and Lieutenant Green," she elaborated for them.

As if a switch had flipped the three men's posture became rigid and she could feel the protectiveness coming off of their strong frames.

Alex held up and hand to stop any outburst before it could start. "What's important is that you don't put yourself in a position where we need to bail you out of trouble or get a replacement because you're confined to a hospital bed or the dock. Clear?"

They nodded a little reluctantly and she sighed. Once again she appreciated the space their anger and protectiveness came from, but she wasn't sure they understood the consequences if something went wrong.

"Listen, I'm going to be very blunt. And this stays between us. Understood?" she asked, fixing the three men with an ice-cold gaze that threatened actual bodily harm if they stepped out of line.

Parker's Adam's apple visibly bobbed as he swallowed hard while Hunt and West nodded, their eyes wider than they'd been seconds before.

"Good. The hard truth you need to accept is that despite everything Arlene and I've done and achieved our continued presence in this unit is contingent on said presence not causing undue conflict amongst the men we work with. Both inside our own unit and the Companies we work with."

"But-," Hunt started, but she silenced him with one finger held up in the air.

"It's the way it is Hunt. No use arguing its merits. Now of course we've earned a certain level of trust and our reputations protect us to a large extent. But if you lot start a massive brawl because some idiot insults our virtue or abilities, or your masculinity simply because you work alongside us, we could be reassigned."

"Now," Alex cut it, "as always, if anything happens come to one of us immediately. We'll deal with it. And we expect you to ensure our new recruits behave in the same manner."

With an arch of one eyebrow Alex asked them if they understood his order and they replied with a, "Yes, sir."

She groaned internally. She'd heard and given that exact speech so many times before she could recite it in her sleep.

 _One day._

When a few moments of silence passed between the group Alex said, "Right. We have 48-hours left on our passes. You can go back to London, but I suggest getting as much rest as possible. We will be training harder than ever, and sleep won't be easy to come by."

"As for tonight though," she said, the ice melting in her eyes as a mischievous smirk lifted the corners of her lips, "we expect to see everyone at the usual pub. Drinks will be on the two of us."

John clapped his hands, Parker enthusiastically smacked his two friends on the back and Arlene good naturedly rolled her eyes at their antics.

Twisting her neck so she could look at Alex she caught him watching her. She gave him a reassuring smile and wink which seemed to do the trick.

"So," she asked as their group ambled away from the train station, the two captains a few feet behind the rest of the men and Arlene, "are we going to meet your girl tonight?"

Alex's cheeks reddened. "How did you know?"

"You love London, and yet you stayed behind in Aldbourne. Sorry darling, but you're not as mysterious as you think. And I mean that as a compliment by the way. Mystery is overrated."

He gave her a quizzical look but simply replied, "She'll be joining us tonight. Her name's Bell."

"You met her before deploying?"

He smiled dreamily, his eyes taking on a far off look. "Yeah, the day you and Arlene left actually. I was so out of it I literally ran into her. I hated the fact that you had to leave without us, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me."

Her heart swelled to absorb pure joy radiating off of her friend. They'd all been through so much and in the process they'd lost more than they could put into words. So to see Alex this in love, an emotion so pure and innocent, brought tears to her eyes.

She sniffed and blinked a few times to clear her vision and push the tears away. After all the crying she'd done the last few days in Nixon's arms she was surprised she had any left to spare.

 _Maybe happy tears come from a different place?_

She linked her arm with his and beamed up at the handsome soldier. "I can't wait to meet her. I'm sure we're all going to love her. And now, we have someone new to tell all your embarrassing stories to!"

His smile faltered. "No, Jess, Please."

She ignored him and continued, "Maybe we'll start with the one where of you ended up running naked through London while being chased by a butcher wielding a cleaver. That's one of my favourites."

Alex groaned. "Oh, God. I'm going to tell her not to come."

"Don't you dare! Besides, now that I know her name I'll just find her by myself. You know me."

He looked down at her, his eyes silently pleading for mercy.

"Fine," she relented, rolling her eyes, "you win."

She felt him relax and he smiled gratefully.

"I'm so happy for you. You know that right?"

His expression grew more serious and he pulled her closer to him. "Yeah, Jess. I know."

She smiled up at her friend. "You're going to be a great CO. Trust me."

"That means a lot coming from a great CO," Alex replied.

Jessica POV

Studying herself in the full length mirror her yes darted to the door when she heard the soft knock.

"Yes?" she asked.

"It's Arlene."

"Come in," she said, turning her attention back to her reflection.

She saw Arlene stop just inside the door and watch her as she studied herself in the mirror, a smirk on her best friend's lips.

"What?" she asked, Arlene's expression only fuelling her own nagging doubt.

"I have literally never seen you look this innocent or harmless. I'm not really sure how to react."

"Oh, haha," she retorted, shooting her a scowl in the mirror.

Turning back to study herself she realised Arlene was probably right. She was wearing a light pink A-line dress that skimmed just below her knees. The dress had a soft V-neck and was pulled in tight around her waist, accentuating her curves while the colour made her look practically angelic.

She'd found the dress hidden in the bottom of her trunk and was pretty sure she'd never seen it before.

 _Maybe I was drunk when I bought it?_

She'd paired the dress with an old pair of nude pumps, a red lip and hair softly curled and pinned back, the blonde ringlets tumbling down her back.

Arlene fell down on here bed, her own yellow and white dress splaying out underneath her in a semi-circle. "I can't believe you still have that dress?"

She spun around, hands in the air. "What, you know this dress?"

Arlene shook her head. "Sometimes you amaze me. It was a gift from that French musician turned sniper. What was his name?"

She clapped her hands, the memory slowing coming back to her. "Oh, yes. Damn, what was his name? He was the good kisser that had the psychotic mistress."

"That's the one. The blonde one."

"Juan!" she exclaimed, inordinately please with herself for remembering her fling's name.

"There you go!"

She smiled at the pleasant memory of a sunny winter's day spent hidden in a freezing attic with each other as the best source of heat.

"See, you do remember him," her friend said, smiling mischievously.

"Let's just say, I now remember why his mistress was so very determined to keep him. Not that I ever had any intention of turning our dalliance into something more permanent."

Arlene simply rolled her eyes and asked, "So, what's wrong with the dress?"

Jessica turned back to the mirror to study her reflection. "I don't know. Is there something wrong with it?"

Arlene snorted and waved her off. "No, you look like a beautiful blonde that's never seen a day's fighting. Young and innocent and harmless."

"Maybe that's it."

"What is?"

"I don't recognise the reflection," she replied, sadness and regret tinging her words.

"Yeah," was all Arlene said in reply.

She shook her head, soft curls bouncing around her face, and stretched her mouth into a smile that almost reached her eyes. "Enough of that. We both look fantastic and we're going to have fun tonight."

Arlene rose from the bed and came to stand beside her. Jessica snaked an arm around her friend's waist and Arlene did the same. The two young women smiled at their reflections and slowly the feeling reached her eyes, wrinkling them in the corners.

"Is Joe going to be there tonight?" she asked.

Arlene's smile tripled in size and wattage. "Yes."

"Oh my gosh, you are so adorable."

Her friend let go of her waist and softly punched her arm.

"Hey!" she exclaimed through the fit of giggles.

Arlene stuck out her tongue causing her to roll her eyes.

 _God, it feels good to laugh._

"Not that it matters," Arlene added.

"Why? Oh, never mind, stupid question. You two have to be all sneaky about your relationship."

"I believe the word you're looking for is discreet."

"If I were to date a captain we'd have to be discreet. You two are practically a State secret. So, who knows?"

"You," Arlene started to say. She wanted to interject with a wise-ass comment but her friend cut her off with one look. Holding up her hands in surrender she waited for Arlene to continue, certain she already knew the list, but needing to double check.

"As I was saying. There's you and Alex and John. Bill and Luz know."

Jessica had been busy touching up her lipstick, but when Arlene mentioned the last two names her hand stilled and he head swivelled slowly in the brunette's direction.

"They returned early from London. This afternoon actually. We were careless, kissing in Joe's barracks when they walked in."

"And?"

"Oh, they actually cheered. Like full on clapping each other on the back, shouting."

She sighed in relief and turned back to the mirror. With the lipstick paused an inch away from her lips she said, "Can they be trusted to keep the secret? From what I've heard George Luz is the source of most of the gossip."

Arlene dug around in her own clutch and pulled out a tube of depleted pink lipstick. "He is, and they can be. Once they calmed down I explained the situation to them. They were actually quite excited to help us sneak around."

She straightened and tossed her lipstick into her nude clutch. "Helping two lovers sneak around is a nice distraction from the war. Speaking of, I'd like to do my part."

"For the war effort?"

"No, for you and Joe."

Arlene frowned at her reflection in the mirror. "You've done enough. If it wasn't for you, we probably never would have even spoken to one another."

She shrugged. "I don't know that. Some things are meant to be, one way or another. And as I've said before, I get to live vicariously through you in this regard. So, tomorrow this house is going to be empty from 10:00 until 16:00."

"What?"

"Jane and Harry are going into the country to visit friends. They're only set to be back the evening. I've asked Nixon to join me for a picnic and I'll make sure we only get back at 16:00. So, this house is empty and far away from the Easy barracks. Here," she said, holding out a key.

Arlene reached for the key, eyeing it suspiciously.

"That's my spare. Keep it."

"Jess," Arlene started to protests but was cut off when Jessica threw her arms around her, pulling her into an embrace.

"It's one day or freedom Arlene. You deserve it," she whispered into her friend's hair.

She felt Arlene's body relax, followed by a softly spoken, "Thank you."

They eventually let go of one another, both women smoothing out their dresses and hair.

"Shall we?" Jessica asked, holding out her hand to the bedroom door.

With a dramatic flick of her chocolate brown hair Arlene replied, "We shall."

Nixon POV

With most of the soldiers yet to return from London the pub was comparatively empty. All the tables were taken up, but none were overflowing. You were able to move around without having to jab your elbow into someone's side and the barman could make eye contact with each customer before serving their drinks.

He finished his first of many beers and placed the glass down on the stained wooden table. He was only half-listening to Harry and Buck's conversation, his attention continuously pulled to the door every time he spotted movement in its general direction.

Someone nudged his shoulder and he reluctantly looked away from the entrance to find Dick staring at him, the question clear in his eyes.

He swallowed and reached for his glass, realising too late it was already empty so he dropped it down on the table with a heavy thud.

The sound caught Harry and Buck's attention, their conversation halting as both men turned to stare it him.

"Geez Nix," Buck said, "all you gotta do is ask and I'll get the next round."

"Hm? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"Yeah, we noticed," Harry replied.

He ran one hand through his already messy hair as the other instinctively reached for the empty glass. Stopping himself just in time he flattened his palm on the table and said, "Jessica and Alex went up to London this morning to negotiate their unit's command. I haven't seen anyone from their unit yet."

"Why would they have to negotiate? Obviously Jessica is the CO now," Harry replied, but as soon as he said the words out loud his face changed, taking on sharp edge. "Son of a bitch! They wouldn't. Would they?" he added.

He shrugged and eased back into his chair, suddenly aware of the stiffness in his lower back. "They would Harry. She's a woman, they can't have her in-charge of a team of men, especially an elite unit like theirs."

"So what? They're going to promote someone over her head? We all saw them in France, none of them would want that. She's their CO," Buck said, but Nixon heard the doubt creep into his voice.

Dick leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "That's the best case scenario Buck. That's what Jessica and Alex went to negotiate. The other option is an outsider becomes their CO."

"Has Command met these people? That will never fucking work!" Buck exclaimed.

He just sighed and shrugged. He agreed with Buck, but he knew well enough that it was very possible.

"Well, we're going to find out soon enough," he said, his chair already scraping on the floor.

Alex and John had just walked into the pub, followed by the three sergeants. All five men were wearing their unique dark blue uniform, and in the dim light of the pub it seemed black. His eyes instinctively searched for the golden bars on Alex's shoulders as he held his breath. When he found them his lungs expanded and stretched to their full capacity as a broad smile took over his face.

Nixon walked over to the men, his long legs making quick work of the small space.

"Congratulations Captain," he said, clasping the man's hand and enthusiastically slapping him on the shoulder.

Alex smiled a little sheepishly, but he quickly regained his composure, straightening out to his full height. "Thanks Nix. It all worked out."

The last vestiges of nerves fell away at those words and his eyes searched the space behind the group of men that had now gathered to wish Alex congratulations.

"They stopped to talk outside. Should be in now," Alex answered his question.

He dropped the man's hand and tried to ignore the heat creeping into his cheeks.

To his surprise Alex stepped in closer to him and grabbed his shoulder. "Thank you for having her back."

"Always," he said without thinking.

Alex winked and let go and within a second he was pulled into the first of what would be a long line of handshakes and back slaps.

Nixon stepped aside so he could see the door just as a flash of yellow crossed the threshold like a living ray of sunshine. Arlene Walker dazzled in that yellow dress of hers. It fit in close to her waist and chest and hit her just-just below the knee, showing off her endlessly long legs. Her dark hair was loosely pinned up, but strands were already trying to make their escape. Her emerald eyes wrinkled as she turned to smile at the person behind her.

He dropped his gaze and shook his head. He knew nothing would ever happen with Arlene, despite the fact that his daydreams tried to persuade him otherwise. Not only was she Jessica's closest friend, but he had a suspicion that someone else had already won the brunette's affections.

 _I'll always have my daydreams._

"Nix, hey," the daydream called.

He cleared his throat and looked up to find Arlene standing within reach, a broad smile brightening her face. "Hey. You look beautiful tonight."

 _There was no sense in lying._

Arlene blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. "Thanks. I wanted to wear something happy. You know, relish it while we can."

"Well, you achieved that. So, I take it everything worked out?"

"Mhm, all's well that ends well. Jess didn't tell me any details but it seems no one was too excited at the prospect of bringing in an outsider. So when she gave them the option of promoting Alex to CO they practically fell over themselves to accept."

"Makes sense. You don't want to mess with a winning recipe."

Arlene hummed her agreement as she twisted her neck to look over her shoulder. When she turned back to him her smile was smaller and her dark eyes had a new intensity to them.

"Now, before Jessica gets here. What is going on with Richard and Speirs?"

"W-what?" he stammered, completely caught off guard by the sudden change in subject.

"Listen, Jessica can have any man she wants. You and I both know that."

"I agree."

"Good, because for some reason those two geniuses are both dragging their feet. Now, if they're not really interested they need to make it clear. But if they are, they should hurry the hell up. Because sooner rather than later Jessica is going to get over it and move on. And trust me, when she's truly done, she's done. So?"

He smiled, happy to finally have someone to conspire with.

 _Actually, why the fuck haven't we talked about this before?_

"Nix?" Arlene asked.

"Yeah, sorry. Both of them are definitely interested. I don't know what's going on with Speirs, but Dick, he keeps waiting for the right time."

"Well that's very gallant of him, but he's not going to get a right time, not while there's a war raging. He just needs to ask."

"You realise you're preaching to the choir here, right?"

"I know, but hopefully you can talk some sense into your friend. The man's an incredible soldier, one of the bravest I've ever met, this really shouldn't be that difficult for him."

"What can I say, men are idiots," he said.

"Why are men idiots?" an all too familiar voice asked.

Arlene slowly turned to reveal Jessica standing right behind her, her head tilted to one side as she studied her two friends.

"We just are," he stated.

"Okay," the blonde woman replied, eyes narrowing.

Deciding a change in subject was his best bet he said, "You look amazing Jess. I like this look on you."

"Innocent and harmless?" she asked, widening her oval blue eyes and pouting.

"Well not if you pull a face like that. Then you just look naughty as all hell."

Her lips relaxed into a genuine smile and she shot him a wink. "I'll never be able to fool you Nix. It takes one naughty bugger to know one."

"Yes it does kid," he said, pulling her into a side hug and planting a quick kiss into her hair.

"We're quickly going to greet the few Easy boys that are here. But then, Alex and I are buying everyone a drink. So save us seats," Jessica said before she placed a chaste kiss on his jaw.

He let her go and somewhere in the back of his mind he noticed how familiar it had felt to hold her close. Although on later reflection that didn't surprise him, not after everything they'd shared in her room.

The two women made to leave, Jessica leading the way, but before he could turn Arlene caught his eye. She pointed one elegant finger at him and he nodded in understanding.

 _No, the timing is never going to be perfect._

Bill POV

"I tell you fellas, these new kids are going to come in here, half trained, half assed and eager to prove themselves. It's a recipe for a fucking turkey shoot. And you know who's going to have to hold their hands? Us," he ended his rant with a satisfied gulp of his beer before dragging the back of his hand over his mouth.

"C'mon Bill," Luz said around the cigarette pressed between his lips, "the kids will be fine. They've gone through basic and jump training."

Joe snorted, nearly chocking on the smoke from his cigarette. "Not with Sobel they didn't. The man was a fucking ass, but you survive him and you can survive anything the Krauts throw at you."

He tilted his glass in Joe's direction and Luz nodded. They'd hated Sobel, and were all glad to be rid of him, but he was damn good at what he did. Training soldiers.

A small crowd gathered near the entrance and he could spot some dark blue uniforms in-between all the green. They were sitting right at the back of the pub, but even from their position he could see the smiling faces and hear the enthusiastic congratulations.

He felt his lips turn up into a lopsided smile. "Seems the good news is out."

His two friends turned in their chairs so they could watch the entrance, both men smiling knowingly. After Arlene had recovered from the shock of seeing the two of them standing in their own barrack's doorway she'd promptly communicated two things. One, what they'd seen was top secret and they would have to take their knowledge of her and Joe's relationship to their graves. After some pouting and good natured teasing they'd both agreed. And two, she'd told them that Alex had been promoted to captain and, more importantly, Jessica had maintained her captaincy.

Luz turned back around and leaned so far back in his chair he ended up balancing on its two back legs. "Sometimes the Army actually uses its brains."

"Yip," Joe said, "miracles do happen."

His eyes caught a streak of light pink emerging from the ocean of green and blue before they drifted up the woman's body until they met Captain King's crystal blue eyes. Bill cleared his throat and ignored the heat rising in his chest to sneak out of his shirt collar just as the captain and Arlene stopped at their table.

Joe's hand twitched as if he was going to reach for Arlene, but instead he wrapped it around his empty beer glass.

"Evening gentlemen," Captain King beamed.

"Ma'am," they greeted her in a broken chorus.

For the first time he wondered what her real age was. He'd always known she was relatively young, but tonight she seemed as if years had fallen away. As if the burden of command and the horrors she'd seen and committed had been temporarily lifted.

"So, I hear we're all in on the same secret?" the blonde captain asked, her eyes shining mischievously.

Luz beamed up at the two women, extremely pleased at being in on the secret. "The secret is safe with us."

"Yeah, and about damn time if you ask me," he added.

"I could not agree more Sergeant. I was starting to lose hope."

Arlene rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Joe ran hand through his slicked back hair and he saw the meaningful look the two lovers shared.

As Jessica reached inside her purse she said, "Well, I believe a round of drinks is in order. Joe, would you mind handling this?"

"Of course ma'am," he replied.

She handed him some money and added, "Arlene, would you mind helping him carry all the drink?"

"Of course not," the brunette answered.

The conversation was so mundane an outsider wouldn't give it a second thought, and he knew that's exactly how the two women wanted it to look.

 _Practice makes perfect,_ he thought, once again reminded the women had years of experience in action far more covert that what they'd seen. It had never been confirmed, at least not to them, but everyone had their suspicions and watching them interact and move he was absolutely certain they were right.

For a moment he tracked the young couple's movements as they walked to the bar. If you knew what you were looking at you would see their bodies angling towards one another even though they remained a safe distance apart.

"Right gentlemen," Jessica interrupted his train of thought.

He looked away from the couple, giving the captain his undivided attention.

Satisfied they were both paying attention she leaned forward until her fingertips rested on the table. "It goes without saying that the secret of those two, stays between the three of us."

From one second to the next there was a minuscule shift in the way the woman held herself, her voice taking on a sharp edge that matched the glint in her eyes.

He found himself nodding and from the corner of his eye he could see Luz mirroring his action. Jessica King looked like the picture of innocence tonight, but they both knew better. Not that they would have betrayed Joe or Arlene, but the unspoken threat in the captain's words added to their combined resolve.

Satisfied with their response her face switched back, any hint of what she was capable of gone before you could blink. Flashing them a conspiratorial smile, she said, "Great! Arlene trusts you completely which means so do I. Now, if you ever run into any problems, people being a bit too nosy, let me know. We gotta stick together."

The two men returned her smile, relishing in the sense of mischief.

Speirs POV

Sitting on the wooden bench, his back against the plastered wall, he kept one eye trained on the pub's entrance. He'd already been there for nearly an hour, having arrived with a handful of other Dog Company officers. They'd taken up residence at an empty table along one wall of the pub and he'd ensured he could see the entrance from his seat.

He stubbed out his cigarette and immediately lit another one, flicking his lighter closed with a sharp snap.

The woman next to him laughed, the sound raking over his spine like nails on a chalkboard. He consciously suppressed the urge to scowl at her. He hadn't asked her to be here and not a second went by that a part of his brain didn't wish she would simply leave. But none of that was her fault so he kept his face a study in neutrality.

An arm draped itself across his shoulders and the blonde whispered in his ear, "Why are you so tense baby?"

He slowly turned his head to follow the path of the offending appendage until he found the pretty woman looking at him, concern etched into every fine line on her face.

Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself for the hundredth time that this wasn't her fault, that all blame rested solely with him. Plastering on a fake smile he hoped would alleviate some of her worry he replied, "I'm just waiting for some friends. They were set to receive important news today."

"Oh, I understand. I'm sure everything will be just fine," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.

Ron groaned internally while returning to his study of the entrance, using the conversation of the two men sitting opposite him as a cover. He felt the woman on his arm relax, her body softly settling into his side even as her arm dropped away from his shoulders.

 _Fuck. What a fucking mess._

To say that he was angry with himself would be the understatement of a lifetime. He'd thrown himself into a fling months ago in a fit of ego and pride. When they'd left Aldbourne for the staging area he'd avoided making any long term promises to the young woman, but he hadn't broken things off either. Why? He could come up with a million excuses but really there were only two facts that came close to the truth.

One, he, Ronald Speirs, a man hardened soldiers were weary of, had allowed his pride to get the better of him and then he'd been too cowardly to correct the mistake when he had the chance.

And two, he'd hoped his fleeting affection would turn into something deeper so he could regain the control Jessica King had taken from him without even trying.

 _Goddamn fool._

His eyes darted between the door and the woman sitting by his side as quickly as his emotions fluctuated between anticipation to see Jessica and dread at her arrival.

Rose was pretty by anyone's standards, with ash blonde hair and a pleasingly round face. Her brown doe eyes seemed to constantly hold a smile in their depths, giving her a remarkable air of innocence which she used to her advantage, often getting away with mischief. She was quick with a joke and easy to spend time with. All in all, she was wonderful, which made what he knew he had to do, should have done already, all the more difficult to stomach.

He wanted to groan and slam his head into the table, but instead stubbed out another cigarette and reached for his untouched beer.

Just as he brought the glass to his lips Alex and John entered the pub. Nixon was the first to greet them and the quiet moment he shared with Alex didn't escape his notice. He filed it away for further consideration later, his eyes searching the faces of the gathering crowd as the knot in his stomach grew tighter with each thumping heartbeat.

The lieutenant sitting opposite him pushed out his chair and rose. Smoothing down the invisible creases in his uniform he said, "I'm going to congratulate the new captain. You never know when you need a favour."

His companion at the end of the small table rose as well, adding as he went, "If you want a favour you'll need to ask King. Marsh could be the official CO, but everybody knows who really calls the shots when it counts."

"Can you blame them?" the first man asked with a snort.

The few men left at their table shook their heads, each one slowly rising to follow their friend's lead. All of them were happy to accept Arlene and Jessica on the front, considering them the exception to most rules.

He quickly downed his beer before putting the glass down and standing. As he went he felt two large eyes follow him. Glancing down he said, "Those are the friends I mentioned. I'll be right back."

"Oh, so everything worked out then it seems?"

"Yeah, seems that way."

"I don't know why you were so worried. It sounds like this King fellow had everything under control."

He smirked. "That is the way it always seems."

"Well, don't let me keep you. I see some girls I know at the bar, I'll pop over and say hey while you congratulate your friends."

She gave him a peck on the cheek before shimmying out from behind the table and walking over to the bar. He watched her for a few seconds and groaned out loud when she pointed him out to the two women she was speaking to.

He nodded politely before turning his full attention to the small crowd. As he moved closer, his eyes constantly scanning the faces for Jessica's, he went over his plan. It was simple really. Get Jessica alone and tell her about Rose, making it clear he was going to end things with her tonight. Then take Rose home, faking a sudden illness and let her down softly. There was no point in doing more harm than what was already done.

 _What could go wrong? Fuck._

He was standing between two soldiers, waiting to speak to Alex, when his eyes found the person they'd been searching for.

Speirs swore his heart stopped beating for a second before hammering back to life with such force it actually hurt. He hadn't seen Jessica in days, and the last time had been from afar on the deck of the troopship. His mind, maybe in an attempt to shield him, had allowed him to forget the physical reaction he had to her. And then, as if to punish him, it flashed Rose's smiling face before him.

His stomach vaulted and he had to clench his jaw to stop himself from being sick. With a blink Rose's face was gone and so was Jessica. He whipped his head around just in time to see her walking towards a table of Easy men, her golden blonde hair cascading in soft curls down her back, bobbing up and down with each step.

"Hey," Harry nudged him, forcing his head to snap back to find the short lieutenant and Alex staring expectantly.

Forcing a thin smile, he extended his hand to Alex who accepted it. The other man's grip was firm to the point of painful, and there was some unspoken warning in the depths of his green eyes.

He stepped in closer to Alex and broadened his smile. "Congratulations Captain."

Alex's lips twitched up at the corners and the pressure on his hand eased up a fraction. "Thank you Speirs."

When their hands disengaged he dropped his to his side so he could flex his fingers without being seen.

His eyes flicked to the left to find Harry watching them, an amused smirk playing at this features. Turning his attention back to Alex he asked, "So you're the new CO?"

"Officially yes, but the team will function as it always has. Jessica and I will share command."

"Hm, that's good."

"It is. Jessica should be CO of course, but she convinced those in-charge this is best for the unit."

"She wants to protect her team."

Alex paused and he felt the man sizing him up. Finally, he replied, "That's what we do. We protect each other."

Harry tried to hide a snicker behind a cough but both men ignored him.

With one nod he excused himself, "Captain."

"Lieutenant," Alex replied, already starting to turn back to his table.

As soon as Speirs turned away from Alex his eyes were scanning the pub again for Jessica. He quickly found her making her way back to her friends. Assessing the rest of the room he tweaked his path so they would run into one another while she was still further away from her friends' prying eyes and ears.

His strides were purposeful and confident, but each one measured, and he knew not a single hint of the anxiety eating at his stomach was visible.

Jessica's eyes danced over the room and a permanent smile brightened her face. When her eyes landed on him she paused, as he'd hoped she would, and turned ever to slightly so they were facing. It was only now that they were less than a foot apart that he truly noticed how vibrant and youthful she looked. Not a trace of the war that almost consumed their every waking moment in one form or another remained. Her eyes, which were usually guarded so as not to give away the emotions underneath, shimmered with a carefree joy that caught him completely off guard.

The knife in his gut twisted further.

"Ron!" she beamed as she tucked a strand of hair behind one ear.

His hands itched to touch her, pull her against his chest and claim her as his own in front of everyone, so he shoved them deep into his pockets. "Jessica, you look beautiful tonight."

The colour in her cheeks deepened and she ran one hand over the soft pink fabric of her dress. "Oh, well, I suppose being cleaned and rested helps. A lot."

He shook his head, feeling his lips start to form a lopsided smile. "You were beautiful in France, even when you looked like you wanted to shoot me."

"That's because I did want to."

They both laughed and the sounds formed a perfect melody to his ear.

"Listen," he started to say and he was sure she could see right through the carefully crafted façade to the nervous man underneath, "can we talk privately?"

She frowned and tilted her head to one side. "Is everything okay?"

"Well-," the words froze in his throat when he felt a small hand grip his bicep as a warm body pressed into his side.

He watched, unable to move or breathe, as Jessica's gaze darted from his face to the hand and up to its owner's face. For a second confusion flashed across Jessica's features, then something akin to hurt, followed, and finally he saw the walls slam back down in front of her eyes. Her posture became absolutely perfect as she drew herself up to her full height, and at the same time a rehearsed smile pulled her lips up.

"Ronald, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Rose asked from where she'd attached herself to his side.

He tried to find the words, but his ability to speak had abandoned him.

Jessica casually waved one hand in the air as she diverted her full attention to the woman at his side. "Oh, he seems to be a bit forgetful of late. My name's Jessica King. Such a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, King? Are you married to the officer?"

Jessica frowned and pursed her lips.

"The men were talking about a soldier earlier. I assumed he's an officer. Apparently he's quite something judging by the looks they had on their faces." Rose leaned slightly forward and stage whispered, "If I didn't know better, I'd say they're a little scared of him."

Jessica politely laughed, never faltering even when Rose snaked an arm possessively around his waist. "Oh no, I'm not married, but I am very closely related to the captain I suspect they were talking about."

"I see, is that how you two know each other?" Rose's eyes flicked from Jessica's smiling face to his impassive one.

"Something like that. We actually don't know each other very well, we just seem to keep running into each other. Now, I do adore a good love story and you know how terrible men are at telling them, always leaving out the details."

Rose nodded in agreement and with each nod his heart sank further into his stomach. He was watching a train wreck and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"So, how did you two meet? How long have you been together? Spare no detail."

He suppressed the groan climbing up his throat. He knew the story, every detail and no matter how he told it, he was the jackass in every version.

"Oh, it's a great story. We actually met in this very pub."

Jessica's smile never faltered, her attention never wavered from Rose. She was being a professional and he hated seeing it.

"It was on a night in April. This year. A few friends had dragged me out, insisting I join them for a drink. The night ended up being dull and uneventful, so I was just about to go home when all of a sudden this strapping American GI walks in. He was all mysterious and a little bit dangerous. So naturally we all took note."

Jessica's eyes flicked to him, their crystal blue depths completely placid. "Dangerous. I can see that." And just as quickly as they'd turned to him, her eyes were back on Rose, "What happened next?"

"I was standing near the bar," she casually waved her free hand to the spot, "And at first I thought he was going to saunter right past all of us, but then he stopped dead and those deep brown eyes bore right into me."

Jessica arched one eyebrow and a chill crept up his spine. "You stopped him dead in his tracks. How romantic."

Rose giggled. "I like to think so. Long story short, he asked if he could buy me drink. Of course I said yes."

"Of course."

"We spent hours talking and dancing and, well…" Rose blushed and giggled before finishing with, "We've been together ever since."

Jessica pressed one hand to her heart, tilted her head a fraction to one side and said, "Now you see Ron would never have told the story that way. He would have skipped over all the good parts. You must be so relieved to have him back?"

Rose placed a peck on his cheek and then answered, "I am. I was worried sick the entire time. Especially since I never received any letters."

Jessica shook her head. "Speirs, really? Tisk-tisk."

Rose giggled and Jessica winked at her.

"Well, you two make such a surprisingly lovely couple. I need to get back to my friends, but it was really nice meeting you Rose. Very enlightening."

"It was nice to meet you too Jessica. So lovely."

With a flick of her eyes in his direction and a perfectly polite curl of her lips Jessica turned and walked away from them.

"Shall we dance?" Rose asked.

"How about I buy us a drink first," he replied, already steering them back to the bar.

 _Or five._

Jessica POV

As a young child she'd developed a coping mechanism that had allowed her to maintain control over her emotions, or at the very least hide them. It had been borne out of a need for survival and naively she'd always assumed a time would come when she'd no longer need it. Of course, now she knew better.

It was simple really. As soon as the first wave of uncontrollable emotion threatened to hit, be it fear or pain or joy, she'd imagine an impregnable wall of ice sliding down all around her heart. The emotions would beat against the wall, but they would never reach her.

The moment Rose's hand had appeared on Ron's arm her heart had clenched painfully as her stomach dropped out from under her. She could feel the pain, humiliation and confusion start to overwhelm her, so her instincts kicked in and wall crashed into place. She knew it would have to come down later and when it did the flood gates would open, but by then she'd be alone and far away from the source of the pain.

As she neared her table she saw Arlene watching her intently. Everybody else was drinking and laughing, expect for her best friend. She had a practiced smile on her face, but those dark green eyes were taking in the room like it was filled with enemy soldiers and only had one way out.

Taking the open seat next to Arlene she turned her body towards her friend. "We're in England, not somewhere behind enemy lines. Stop searching for one."

Arlene arched an eyebrow and handed her a glass, half-full with a rich amber liquid. "I'm not searching. I'm keeping track of one."

Taking a sip of liquor she savoured she smooth, wooded taste on her tongue. She didn't have to follow Arlene's gaze, she knew exactly where Ron was and who he was with.

"Who is she?" her friend asked.

She gently placed the glass down on the table before taking a cigarette and lighter from her small purse. "His girl."

Arlene's calculated gaze swivelled from her face to the couple by the bar. She lit her cigarette, giving it three quick puffs to ensure it took before putting her silver lighter away.

"Since?" Arlene asked, her eyes still trained on the couple.

"Since before they'd deployed. April according to her."

Her friend finally tore her eyes away from Ron and Rose and she didn't miss the start of a snarl that curled her lips.

"Here," Jessica said, pushing Arlene's own glass towards her, "tonight is about celebrating."

Arlene's fingers hesitated above the glass, but then she picked it up and tilted its thick rim towards her. Jessica picked up her own glass and gently tapped it against Arlene's. As the crystal clear note rang out the wall slowly started to melt.

Jessica POV

"M'lady, may I have this dance?" Alex asked, nearly folding himself in half as he mock bowed in front of her seat.

After a few hours in her friends' company and a handful of drinks her protective wall had completely fallen away, quickly replaced by a heady buzz which she attributed to both the Scotch Nixon kept feeding her and the friendship that surrounded her.

She dramatically threw her hair back and replied, "Of course good sir."

Taking his outstretched hand she allowed him to pull her up and against his chest. "Where's Bell?" she asked as she tried to steady herself.

Alex's girl had arrived with two friends almost as soon as she'd taking her seat after her run in with Ron. She'd immediately liked the brunette with the easy smile and caring eye, and watching her and Alex interact all night had only made her like the woman more.

"John has her playing darts."

She craned her neck so she could see the dartboard, and sure thing, there was John, Hunt, Bell and her two friends. Turning back to her friend she said, "I see. You would think after all this time he'd be better at speaking to women."

Alex laughed as he lightly placed a hand on her lower back to steer her to the small, impromptu dancefloor. "Bell loves playing matchmaker, she doesn't mind."

The song ended and a mid-tempo one started up, but Alex didn't change his rhythm, instead languidly guiding her between the handful of other couples.

"We really like her Alex. She's great and the two of you are wonderful together."

Alex dipped his head to try and hide the blush, but he couldn't hide the glance he stole of Bell. "Yeah, she's kinda fantastic," he murmured, before turning back to her and adding, "I think she's it."

She pulled her hand from his grasp and through both her arms around his neck. "Oh, Alex. I'm so happy for you."

He buried his face in her hair so she felt his laughter against her skin. After longer than what was probably socially acceptable they let go of each other and continued swaying to the music.

"I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"When?"

"Soon. I've already asked her father's permission and I've got the ring. It's nothing fancy."

"It doesn't have to be fancy darling."

He nodded. "I know. I want to give her the biggest damn ring there is, but I don't want to wait."

"You shouldn't wait. If you're sure then what's the point, right? When are you going to ask her?"

"Tonight."

"Please don't tell me you're going to do it here. Please don't."

"No, not here. I don't think she'd mind, but I know you and Arlene would never let me live it down."

She smiled and nodded. "That is an understatement, but go on."

"Remember I told you we ran into each other. That's how we met."

"I remember."

"Well, when I walk her home later I'm going to take a detour so we can walk past that spot. That's where I'm going to ask her. Right on the spot where everything changed."

She coughed and dropped her head, dashing away the tear that had started to form.

"Jess, are you okay?" Alex asked.

Lifting her face she smiled up at her friend's concerned expression. "That's perfect Alex. So perfect. I'm just so happy for you."

The worry melted away and a smile took its place. "Thanks Jess. That really means a lot, to both of us."

She tilted her head to one side, feeling the frown bring her eyebrows closer together.

"Bell knows our team's a family and she knows I love you and Arlene like sisters. She was worried you two wouldn't like her. Wouldn't approve of the relationship."

"Well, you can assure her we both adore her and we adore the two of you together. How about, I arrange an afternoon tea with her and Arlene? I know training's about to start but we can make time for it."

"Yeah, that would be great! I mean, assuming she says yes."

She slapped his arm. "I don't think that's even up for debate."

They'd been so busy talking neither one had noticed Richard approach them, so when he cleared his throat both their heads snapped in his direction. He looked between the two of them, seeming unsure and a little confused.

"Umm…mind if I cut in?" he asked.

Alex looked to her, but she could already feel him letting go of her hand. She smiled and nodded.

He held her hand out to Richard and said, "Take care of her."

As his strong fingers wrapped around her hand Richard replied, "I'll do my best."

"Alex," she stopped her friend, "I want all the details tomorrow."

He smiled and winked before heading for the dartboard. Her eyes followed him for a moment, until the press of Richard's hand into her lower back, bringing their bodies close together, demanded her full attention.

As her eyes found his face she allowed them to wander over his defined features before they settled on his crystal blue eyes which held a warmth she could never quite explain.

Her lips drifted up into a soft smile even as her mind struggled to focus on anything other than the warmth seeping from his hands through her clothing to caress her skin.

He gently started to move them across the dance floor to the silky slow rhythm of a new song. "I've wanted to ask you to dance for a long time."

"Oh? You and Nix seemed to be chatting up quite the storm."

He smirked mischievously, hinting at the young man beneath the uniform and responsibilities. "I wasn't referring to tonight."

Returning his smirk she decided to play along, so asked, "Mmmm…the New Year's dance?"

"Nope."

His hand left her back as the other guided her into a spin. As he brought their bodies back together she swore she felt the adrenaline shoot from her heart into her fingertips.

Deciding on a different approach she asked, "All the times before that when we were at the same place at the same time when music was playing?"

He chuckled and she could feel his chest vibrate against her. "That's too vague. You have to be specific."

A thought crossed her mind and at first she was going to ignore it, certain it was a stretch, but she decided she didn't have anything to lose so answered, "New York. The night we met."

Richard's grip around her waist tightened, bringing her flush against him. She held his gaze even as the air between them seemed to become hot and thick.

"That's the one," he replied, his voice never faltering.

Deciding it was her turn to give as good as she got she replied, "That's a very long time ago. And you've had a few chances since then."

"I did."

"So why wait so long?"

He bent his head down and whispered, "Is being a fool a good reason?"

Lowering her voice to match his she replied, "It is tonight."

He straightened and the smile on his face was the perfect mixture of relief and cockiness.

"So what changed tonight?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Nothing, but I've had a few days to think and I came to a realisation."

"Which is?"

The colour in his cheeks as he answered matched the heat she felt in hers. "That there's a war going on and we're both in the middle of it. And for Pete's sake how many more chances did I need?"

She threw her head back slightly and laughed as he twirled them around in a tight circle.

When she brought her head back up she found his eyes lingering on the soft skin of her exposed neck.

Feeling emboldened by the hunger she saw deep in those blue eyes of his she asked, "So, where to from here?"

His eyes lazily tracked a path up to hers and he answered without missing a beat, "That picnic you and Nix have planned for tomorrow?"

"Mhm."

"He actually has plans to spend tonight and tomorrow with somebody else."

She pulled her face to feign shock, exclaiming "I feel so rejected!"

He snorted and playfully shook his head. "Hopefully I can help. Would you accompany me on a picnic? There's a spot I want to show you."

Holding his gaze she answered, "It's a date."

"I'll pick you up at 10:00?"

"I'll be ready."

Jessica POV

Walking back to her billet her heels kept pace with her thoughts as she replayed the evening's events. Of course a few of the men, including Richard, had offered to walk her home, but she'd declined all their offers. On the one hand they were all still having a wonderful time, but more importantly she desperately wanted a few moments of silence to herself.

Mentally ticking things off on her fingers she started, _Alex was promoted to captain and the unit's safe._

Even thinking about what could have happened tightened her stomach. _What a mess that would have been._

That uncomfortable thought had just passed when her encounter with Ron slapped her across the face. _God, I'd been such an idiot. What the hell was I thinking?_

Try as she might she couldn't simply skip past the frames containing the details of their fateful encounter, her brain simply wouldn't allow her to. She could recall the cold that has washed over her as her walls had gone up, a feeling she'd never thought she'd associate with him.

 _This would be a lot easier if Rose was ugly, or awful or preferably both. But no, she has to be pretty and seem genuinely nice. Bitch._

She allowed herself a few more strides to dwell on the pretty blonde that had draped herself over Ron before forcing her brain to move on.

Of course she'd had a wonderful time surrounded by her friends, and meeting Bell had been a real treat.

 _I wonder if he's asked her yet? They did leave before me._

And then there was her dance with Richard. The man always remained stoic and, well, controlled. And considering her more volatile nature those were qualities she both admired and found somehow alluring. But tonight he'd not only been playful and teasing, but there'd been a firmness to him that had drawn her to him.

As the thought about their picnic she skipped and giggled, her body unable to contain her excitement and nerves.

Before she'd left the pub she'd been able to pull Nixon away from his partner. As soon as they were alone his entire expression had changed from relaxed and charming to very smug.

"Stop looking so pleased with yourself," she'd said, playfully narrowing her eyes and poking his broad chest.

"Fuck, I'm just glad the man finally pulled the trigger. I swear I was about to ask you on a date."

She'd glanced at the brunette waiting for him near the door. "Really?"

"Anything for you doll."

She'd rolled her eyes and said, "So, I hear you're going to be spending some quality time with your lady friend tonight and tomorrow."

He'd smiled like the cat that had gotten the cream, answering her question.

"That works well because you can't come home tomorrow until after 16:00."

He'd been taken by surprise by this statement, his bushy eyebrows nearly hitting his hairline before creasing together as he'd asked, "Why? Wait, if it has to do with you and Dick don't tell me."

"So presumptuous and no, it doesn't. I may or may not have told someone else they can have some time alone in the house tomorrow."

"As long as Arlene and Liebgott stay out of my damn room that's fine by me."

Then it had been her turn to look surprised and slightly panicked.

He'd waved her off with a casual flick of his wrist. "Don't worry kid. I overheard you two talking once. I haven't told anyone and don't plan to either. Live and let live, right?"

She'd quickly planted a peck on his cheek and said, "Thanks Nix."

"Anything for you."

She'd have to tell Arlene eventually that Nixon knew, but had decided that tonight was not that night.

She was only a few feet away from her home when she spotted the shadow sitting on the sidewalk. Her hand instinctively reached inside her purse for her knife, and gripping the metal hilt she immediately felt calmer.

 _Ron's present,_ her brain reminded her.

When the soldier lifted his head her hand let go of the hilt.

 _Speak of the devil. Damnit._

Ron rose unsteadily to his feet just as she stopped in front of him. He wasn't directly blocking her path, but try as she might she just couldn't make her feet simply walk past him.

"What do you want Ron?"

Now that she was closer she could see his usually pristine uniform was dishevelled and his dark brown hair stood in all directions. She shuddered to think what, or who, caused that.

"We need to talk," he said bluntly.

"No, we don't and you're drunk."

"I'm not that drunk."

"Well you're obviously not sober and neither am I, so I suggest you leave. Now."

As if sensing either her growing discomfort or the threat in her voice he took a small step back.

Starting to move past him and up the pathway leading to the front door she said, "Get some sleep Ron."

A steel grip latched onto her wrist, bringing her to a halt. She bit down on every instinct she had to break all the bones in his hand. Regardless of his state she didn't believe he'd come here to harm her, not physical at least, and all the emotional damage had already been inflicted.

She took a deep breath, ready to insist he let go of her, but before she could fully form the words he blurted, "We broke up. I ended things with Rose."

She stared at him, mouth agape for longer than acceptable before stammering out, "What?"

He kept his hold on her arm, but didn't close the space between them. Instead he ran his free hand through his hair, making even more of a mess of it and said, "After what happened we had one drink and then I walked her home. And that's when I broke it off."

Her mind flipped through the evening and she realised the last time she'd seen him had been as she'd turned her back on the couple. Snapping back to the here and now she simply replied, "I'm sorry, she seems like a nice girl."

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"But you've obviously had more than one drink and I still don't know why the hell you're here."

"After I dropped her off I went to another bar. A quieter one. And I'm here…God Jessica, I don't know why the fuck I'm here."

She threw her free hand in the air and allowed the festering anger and hurt which she'd so perfectly suppressed to bubble to the surface. "How, on God's green earth do you expect me to tell you why you are at my door? I'm not a goddamn mind reader Ronald! You keep playing hot and cold all the time and then tonight you suddenly have a girl you've literally never mentioned. Ever!"

"You think I don't know I've made a complete mess of things!"

"What things? There is no thing. Nothing has happened between us!"

Anger flashed over his face and his lips curled back from his teeth. "Then why were you so upset about Rose?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I must have missed the tantrum that I threw. Because as I recall I was the epitome of fucking polite to your little girlfriend."

"Don't bullshit me Jessica. Yeah, you were polite, but you had that same look in your eyes that you had in France and it wasn't because you were having a great fucking time."

Without thinking she closed the space between them, nearly bringing her body flush against his. The air around them was scorching, heat radiating from both of their bodies. Through gritted teeth she asked, "What do you want?"

His breath was coming in quick gasps and with each inhale she could feel his chest press against hers. The grip he had on her arm had tightened to the point of hurting, but she didn't try to pull away, instead using it to ground her.

"You," he hissed the answer to her question.

"You're too late."

She relished the pain that flitted across his face, but as soon as it was there he'd masked it again.

"Richard. Why?" he spat.

"You really want to know?"

"Let me guess, he doesn't have a girl."

Her lips curled into a vicious smirk. "No, he had the guts to ask."

His jaw worked as if he was chewing on his words, but she'd lost all interest in what he had to say. She took a step back and was about to wrench her arm from his grip when suddenly she was falling forward.

Ron had pulled her back to him, colliding their bodies so forcibly she forgot to breathe. Her free hand started to push against his chest when he brought his lips down onto hers. The kiss was hard, desperate and unyielding, stealing her breath and all her strength.

Her brain screamed at her to stop even as her fingers curled around his jacket, pulling him even closer to her.

Something warm and wet ran down her cheek just before she tasted the salt between their lips. The taste, the feeling of it acted like a lightning bolt to her brain.

With more strength that she thought she had in that moment she pushed them apart. His eyes flew open and his swollen lips started to form a sentence, but when he saw the silent tears streaming down her face it died in this throat.

His hand fell limply from her wrist as guilt wracked his features.

"Jessica, I -,"

She held up one hand to silence him while she angrily wiped at her face with the other. Her cracking voice held far more conviction that she felt when she said, "You made your choice, now I'm making mine. Whatever this was, or wasn't, it's over. I'm done."

Jessica never waited for his reply, as the last word left her lips she turned and left him in the dark, so she didn't see the lone tear that rolled down his face.

 _XXXXXXX_

 _Hello everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful almost two weeks. I've been off sick for a while, so I started writing this chapter, stopped, and then picked it up again. And before I knew it, it was super long! Anyway, I decided not to break it onto two smaller ones because I actually really enjoyed walking through an entire day in one go._

 _This chapter has lots of emotional ups and downs, and don't worry...there will be more to come. (Insert evil laugh here)_

 _I've got family staying over for a week so the next one will be a bit late as well._

 _I love hearing from all my super amazing reviewers and those people that send me a DM! If you keep coming back to the story or added it to your reminders thanks a mill!_

 _Chat soon._


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimers: all the usual apply.**

 **Chapter 22**

Jessica POV

From the comfort of her bed she heard Jane and Harry leave in the early hours of the morning. She could tell they were trying to be quiet so as not to wake their two guests, but her restless body and over stimulated brain had managed to keep her awake all night.

She mentally followed their path through the house, happy for the distraction this provided, but as soon the front door softly clicked shut her mind reverted back to the hamster wheel it had been running on all night. It didn't matter how hard she tried, she kept circling back to last night.

The one second she could feel the heat from Richard's body warming her skin, his hand leaving an imprint wherever it touched her, and then, bam! Ron's lips were on hers and they tasted of salt and heartbreak.

Eventually, mercifully, her mind gave way to her body's exhaustion, allowing her to sink into a fitful sleep. Unfortunately, this only lasted for two hours or so until Nixon started to stir, signalling to her that it was time to get up and get ready for her date.

Jessica turned onto her stomach, groaning loudly into her white pillow.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck._

Two sharp raps to her door elicited a muffled, "What?" from her.

"I'm leaving. See you tonight. Or not," Nixon's voice reached her from behind the closed door, and she could hear the mirth dripping off of each word.

Turning her head so she was facing the door she momentarily considered asking Nixon to come in, but just as soon as the thought popped into her mind she decided against it. She didn't want him seeing her dishevelled state and asking questions she didn't want to, or couldn't, answer.

"Have fun," she shouted instead.

"You too. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That isn't much!"

His laughter was accompanied by a soft tap to her door moments before she heard the old stairs creek under his weight as he headed out.

Jessica spent the next few minutes listening to the silent house, allowing her mind to hover on the verge of sleep until she decided the risk of actually falling asleep was to great. Dragging herself upright with a very unladylike grunt, she dangled her legs off the side of the bed, patiently waiting for the world to right itself around her.

Sitting there, on the edge of the soft bed, it took more effort than she'd admit to anyone, including herself, to push all thoughts of Ronald Speirs to the back of her mind. She'd be damned if he was going to ruin what promised to be a wonderful day.

With one determined nod to herself she rose and walked over to the large window looking out onto the street below. She pulled open the curtains with a swift swoosh, allowing the morning sun to stream in, momentarily blinding her. She blinked a few times until her eyes adjusted to the flood of light, and once she could see again she opened the window a crack.

The air drifting in was comfortably warm, with a light breeze and a bank gathering clouds promising some respite from the afternoon warmth that was still to follow. A smile, small at first, pulled at the corners of her lips and soon she could feel the exhaustion fall away as a sense of excitement took hold, waking up the butterflies in her stomach.

Suddenly filled with more energy than she thought she'd be able to muster she turned away from the open window, searching the room for her watch. She found it by sheer luck. All her clothing from the previous evening was lying in a lump on the floor, and sticking out of the pink fabric was her brown watch strap.

 _When did I get changed?_

Try as she might she couldn't actually remember getting changed. Come to think of it, everything after her encounter with Ron was one long, furious blur.

 _Ass._

Refusing to be thrown back into her earlier slump she straightened out and shook her shoulders. Today was not the day she was going to allow one man's ridiculous behaviour to darken her mood. Whatever was going on with Ron was his problem, not hers. At least that's what she told herself in the light of day.

In a few quick steps she reached the heap of discarded clothing. Her hand hovered above the fabric mess, her brain temporarily unsure what to do with it, as if even touching the fabric would upset the delicate balance she'd been able to obtain.

 _Get a grip woman_ , she chastised herself.

Grabbing her watch with one hand she tossed the clothing into her wash hamper with the other. One quick glance at her watch told her she had almost one hour left to get dressed and get her room ready for Arlene.

 _That's not so bad._

Just as the thought ran its course she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

 _Or not._

Her hair was a dishevelled mess that oddly managed to stick in all directions while sticking to her skin. Said skin was red and blotchy, and the mascara she'd worn the previous evening formed two black circles underneath her eyes.

She glanced at her pillow and dropped her head, shaking it. Apparently her pillowcase also suffered last night.

 _I swear I'm going to fucking kill Speirs. With his own damn knife!_

After a few more moments used to silently curse Ron to high heaven she let out a determined sigh and lifted her head.

 _Let's begin._

Ron POV

There were a handful of seconds just as he woke, when his eyes were still closed, that he was blissfully unaware of the pain and regret that was about to descend upon him. But then he made the mistake of opening his eyes into thin slits, and long with the blinding light came the pain.

His stomach recoiled as the pounding behind his eyes thudded to life with all the ferocity it could muster. Even in his current state his pride wouldn't allow him be sick anywhere near his bed. So instead he threw himself out of the bed, hitting the wooden floor with a painful thud that temporarily distracted him from the nausea threatening to overwhelm his pride. With eyes half closed he stumbled out of his room and down the corridor leading to the small bathroom he shared with another Lieutenant.

He didn't know it at the time, or cared, but he was alone in the family home they'd been billeted in. Much, much later when he was back to his full senses he would thank whichever deity had ensured he had some privacy, but right now, he couldn't give a damn.

Ron flung himself into the bathroom, kicked the door shut behind him and lunged for the toilet, frantically throwing the lid open before he lost the battle with his own body.

He retched until his stomach was empty and then he retched some more. Finally, his body collapsed into an exhausted heap on the tiled floor as his breathing came in rapid gasps. Pressing his clammy cheek against the luxuriously cold floor he tried to remember the events of the previous evening so he would know who to blame for his disgraceful state.

 _We were at a bar. Were we waiting for someone? Shit yes, Jessica and Alex. They'd come back from London. Alex made captain._

The tiles beneath his cheek became warm and slick so he shifted his weight so his entire body was spread out on the cold floor and his other cheek was pressed against a new set of tiles.

 _Did we celebrate to much? This much? No, that's not right._

Like a lightning bolt tearing apart a pitch-black sky, the memory of Rose's body pressed into his as he watched Jessica's eyes ice over, tore through his stricken brain.

A deep groan clawed up his chest and burned his raw throat as it escaped his chapped lips. His body instantly curled into itself, trying to protect him from the sudden flood of unwanted emotions that overshadowed every other part of his hangover.

As if he was watching a nightmare unfold his brain shoved each frame of the evening in front of him and there was no escaping it.

He watched as Rose staked her claim to him in front of Jessica, how the blonde he loved smiled so politely it hurt to see. Then he was in the dark, trying to calm down a crying Rose so he could feel better about what he'd done. He'd been a coward and in turn she'd been hurt.

 _At least now she can find someone else. Better,_ he tried to console himself.

Just as he started to recover from Rose's tear stained cheeks he saw himself sitting on the sidewalk in front of a familiar house. He wanted to scream at the man sitting there to move because nothing good was going to come of his stupid plan. But then, there she was. Jessica King, the one person that had been sent to fuck up is carefully constructed façade.

God, he wished he could hate her, or better yet, feel nothing for her. But he couldn't, he'd tried with Rose and it had ended with him lying on the bathroom floor.

He watched, helpless to change anything, as they screamed at one another and then his lips were on hers. As much as he wanted to relish in the kiss or the way her body had momentarily succumbed to him he couldn't because he knew what was coming. The look in her eyes when she said she was done with him. Those blue eyes that cut right through him were filled with pain and distain and worse of all he was the cause.

And then she was gone and he was alone on the edge of town with a bottle of cheap booze he'd gotten from somewhere, swigging away like it would fix everything.

Lying on the floor he decided three things.

One, he needed to clean the bathroom and himself. He'd be damned if anyone was going to find him like this.

Two, he was never going to get that drunk ever again. He wasn't some dumb teenager anymore, learning the ropes and his limits.

And the most important point. No matter what it took, he was going to win Jessica over. Even if it killed him.

Richard POV

Richard's eyes darted between the empty country road and the blonde woman sitting next to him in the open top army jeep. The rumble of the engine and the wind rushing past made it nearly impossible to talk, but he didn't mind. Instead he savoured the opportunity to watch Jessica smile up at the cloudy sky, blonde hair streaming out behind her. In all the time he'd known her, he'd never seen her as unbridled, free from the weight of command and war that rested heavily, if comfortably, on her young shoulders.

His companion turned her face so she was looking at him, and he felt his lips mirror her smile as the weight of responsibility seemed to slip away from his own shoulders. He swore she could see the change in him, because her smile broadened and she gave him a knowing wink.

He laughed as he turned his attention back to the road ahead, the overwhelming feeling of relief and exhilaration coursing through his body. Jessica's boisterous laughter soon joined his, and the two twined together between their bodies for a moment before being swept away by the wind.

Soon he turned off of the tar road, onto a well-worn dirt track that took them deeper into the peaceful countryside. The road twisted and turned between pastures and streams until they were in the middle of nowhere. Gently pulling the jeep off the road he stopped next to a low wooden fence, on the other side of which was a rolling field covered in rich green grass and dotted with white and yellow flowers. A few yards away from the fence stood a large tree, it's branches stretching out from its body as if it were trying to reach the horizon.

He smiled, pleased with himself and his secret find. As the engine stilled he turned towards Jessica, just to find her staring at him, her blue eyes dancing between his face and their picturesque surroundings.

"How did you find this place?" she asked.

"By accident. The day after we returned from Europe I had to get some fresh air, so I went for a drive. I got lost and ended up here. The farmer who the land belongs to found me sitting on the hood of the jeep, just staring at his land. After talking to him for some time he said I could come back any time I wanted to."

"It's beautiful."

"It is," he replied, never looking behind him.

A blush crept into Jessica's cheeks and she dropped her eyes, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He reached for her and tentatively brushed his fingertips against the back of her hand that was resting between them. Jessica's eyes shot up to his. He swallowed down the nerves blocking his throat and wrapped his hand around hers.

His heart hammered against this chest, the sound so deafening to his own ears he swore Jessica could hear it.

She smiled softly up at him and said, "Thank you."

"For?"

"For pausing the world, the war, just long enough so I can catch my breath."

Richard reached for her cheek with his free hand, gently cupping her soft, warm skin in his palm. She leaned her face into his touch and her eyes fluttered closed. He studied her, carefully tracing each line and angle of her face with his eyes, committing every fine freckle to memory.

"It's funny," he whispered, surprised by the sound of his own voice.

Slowly, ever so softly, her eyes fluttered open. "What is?"

With a sincerity that caught him off guard he answered, "Because when I'm around you it's like I forget how to do basic things. Like breathing. And it doesn't matter if we're sitting here, just the two of us, or if I'm watching you run onto a battlefield. From that night in New York you've turned everything on its head."

The world around them faded to nothing until all he saw was Jessica, all he heard was his thundering heartbeat and every nerve in his body screamed to touch her. His body reacted without a single conscious thought instructing it to, shifting and moving towards her as the hand he had to her cheek slipping in behind her head. Jessica allowed him to guide her as her flushed lips parted slightly and her eyes fluttered closed. She slid one hand behind his neck, her touch scorching his skin and sending a shiver down his spine in one go.

He could feel her breath against his lips and the little air left between them burned his skin. His eyes closed an instant before he tasted her lips. She was sweet with a hint of salt and as his lungs remembered they needed air, her scent invaded his senses. Floral without being sweet, it reminded him of fruit orchards and the ocean.

Jessica's hand snaked into his hair, her nails scraping his scalp. A moan vibrated inside his chest as his tongue traced the lines of her lips. He untangled their hands and reached for her waist, deepening their kiss as he did. Her lips parted and he felt her tongue dart out to tease his before slipping back into her mouth. He followed her and soon their tongues were entangled.

He felt her body lift as she pressed onto his shoulder with her one hand. Instinctively, without breaking their lips' contact, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up and onto his lap. She pressed her body into his and he straightened so as much of him could touch her as possible. His one hand wound into her hair, gripping it tightly as the other traced the line from the nape of her neck down to her lower back, pressing her further into him.

A seductive moan from between her lips sent a jolt of electricity running up his spine just as she ran one hand's nails along the exposed skin of his neck, the other gripping and tugging his tie. Together they pressed their lips and bodies closer and closer together as if they could never be close enough, never have enough.

He felt her chest rise and fall against his as she bucked her hips into him. She gasped and he growled, fingers digging into skin in response.

As if on cue, the summer rain started to fall, soft at first but gathering in intensity as if to match theirs. The water ran down her cheeks to splash onto his face, he tasted the rain between their lips and felt the steam rise where it touched their hot skin. Her long blonde hair grew heavy and thick between his fingers and he felt the water dripping from her long lashes.

Her hand released its grip on his tie and pressed against his chest. He pulled his lips away from hers, feeling rather smug when the action was met with a protesting mew. Pressing their foreheads together he watched Jessica as her eyes regained their focus before locking onto his eyes.

Their breaths were coming in quick gasps, chests rising and falling as if they'd run a mile at full tilt. Jessica's full lips were red, her cheeks flushed. Her hair was sticking to her face and neck in places as the rain continued to run down her skin in little rivulets.

"God, you're beautiful," he whispered breathlessly.

Jessica smiled mischievously and replied, "Has anyone ever told you that you look good wet?"

His chest rumbled against her body as he laughed. "No, I haven't heard that before."

"I see," she lifted herself away from him fractionally and pushed one hand through his wet hair, "Well trust me, you look good wet."

His eyes locked onto hers, their usual light blue a shade of grey and her pupils blown. The deep core of his stomach tightened as did his grip on her waist. "You're going to be the end of me," he said.

She leaned forward, bringing their lips painfully close together, and husked, "Good."

He lunged forward, catching her off guard she let slip a small yelp as his lips enveloped hers. He pulled them apart, smirking triumphantly up at her. Jessica playfully narrowed her eyes at him, but when a raindrop found a way into her eye she quickly dropped the mock scowl and blinked furiously.

"C'mon, I should get you out of the rain," he said reluctantly. If it were up to him they'd spend the rest of the day out here, that was what he'd planned for at least.

Refocusing her eyes on him she replied, "It's just water. I won't melt."

"Oh, I know that, but I can't let my girl catch a cold just because I want you all to myself. We can head back to my billet. They family will love you and they'll have some dry clothes for you."

When Jessica tilted her head to one side, sharp eyes studying him, he felt the tinge of uncertainty start to set in. He'd heard himself use the words, my girl, but had hoped she hadn't picked up on them.

 _Should have known better._

His mouth started to form what he knew would be a clumsy cover-up when she leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. The words died in his throat and his body instantly relaxed under her lips. The kiss was sweet and short, so when she parted them and her eyes held a naughty glint he was surprised.

"Don't tell Nix."

He frowned. "You don't want him to know?"

"Well, one the one hand we need to remain discreet. Since we have to work together and all. But that's not my reason for keeping it from Nix."

"Oh?"

The glint in her eyes spread to her lips, curling them up at the corners. "I just want to torture him. He'll suspect something but he won't know for sure. It's going to be so much fun."

"You're evil."

"True, but you're smiling too."

He shrugged, but knew the smirk gave him away. "He's going to kill us."

This time it was her turn to shrug. "He'll forgive us eventually. He can't stay mad forever."

He shook his head as he chuckled. "As I said, evil."

With a parting peck to his cheek she lifted herself off of his lap and, surprisingly gracefully, fell back into the passenger seat. Turning her head so she was looking intently at him she said, "Yes, but I'm your evil girl now. You still in?"

Without looking away from her he reached for the ignition. Turning the key, the engine roared to life and he answered simply, "I'm in."

Arlene POV

She stretched herself out to her full length before curling back around the warm body next to her, allowing the warmth of his skin to seep into her bones and warm her soul. Her companion stirred, tightening one strong arm around her body, pulling her flush against him.

Tilting her head up so she could look at him, she found Joe gazing down at her through half-closed eyes and long lashes. He murmured and pressed a kiss onto the top of her head before snuggling his nose into her hair and inhaling deeply.

"I thought you said we shouldn't fall asleep," Joe said, his voice thick and rough.

"I blame you," she replied, brushing the tip of her nose against his chin.

From the corner of her eye she saw him smirk. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe I was just really sleep deprived."

"Were you?"

Allowing her lips to graze the sensitive skin of his throat she answered, "No."

She felt his skin react to her touch, her lips leaving a trail of little bumps in their wake.

"Man, I must have dreamt of this a thousand times. I didn't think it would ever happen," Joe said.

She stopped what she was doing and lifted her head, resting it on her hand so she could easily look at the handsome paratrooper next to her. "Why didn't you think it would ever happen?"

Joe's dark eyes flicked from her face to the ceiling where they remained fixed as he answered, "After you left in New York, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. And then when I did, well, I assumed you'd left because you didn't want anything more to do with me."

Her heart broke and guilt gripped her stomach. "Joe-," she started but then he turned his eyes back to her and she fell silent.

"It's okay, it actually doesn't have anything to do with you. I've never been the guy a woman like you would want to be with."

"A woman like me? You mean the one whose family disowned her and who left you alone in a cold hotel room, who happens to spend more time in muddy, bloody fields getting shot at than in any kitchen. Oh yes, I'm quite the catch."

"Your family are a bunch of idiots so being disowned by them counts in your favour. And what I meant was a beautiful, intelligent, well-spoken woman that can handle anything the Germans throw at her. I've just never been the guy that gets that girl."

"Well, thank God for that."

He scowled and she felt his muscles tense next to her.

"Joe, the men you're thinking of, I grew up with them. And trust me, some are nice but a lot of them are jerks. Besides, if you'd gotten the perfect girl I would have had to kill her to get to you, and that's just messy."

Slowly his scowl faded and a smile took its place, a flicker of pride lightening his deep brown eyes.

"I'm not sure you'd been able to get away with murder," he teased.

"Excuse me? I kill for a living, I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get rid of the competition."

"Yeah, you can be quite scary when you want to be. How 'bout we save some lives and I just don't get involved with other woman?"

Arlene pursed her lips and hummed, pretending to think long and hard, and the longer she waited the more Joe's smirk grew.

 _Cocky bastard._

"I have a counter offer," she finally replied, keeping her face and voice as professional as possible.

One of Joe's eyebrows arched up. "I'm listening."

"I propose that neither one of us gets involved with someone else as long as we're together. You know, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed."

He nodded seriously. "That sounds reasonable."

They both held their pose for a split second longer, but soon the corners of her lips started to lift, betraying her and from there on it was downhill. They soon descended into a silly fit of giggles, the vibrations from their bodies bouncing off of one another.

Joe curled both of his arms around her waist and flipped her so she was on her back, staring up at his handsome face. He lifted his torso off of her, resting his weight on his hands. She traced the lines of the muscles in his arms with her fingers, and slowly they moved onto his chest and stomach. Joe wasn't a big man, but he was lean and sculpted beneath the uniform, and right now she had a perfect view.

With every inch of his skin her fingertips explored the warmth in the depth of her core intensified. Her eyes followed her fingers' paths as they moved down his stomach to his strong hips pressed between her thighs.

Her teeth bit into her bottom lip and her chest rose and fell quickly even as the warmth continued to spread throughout her body. Her hungry eyes moved back to his face to find him staring at her. She could see the lust in his eyes, feel it in the way his muscles vibrated against her touch.

With an evil smirk she bucked her hips up and to the side, using her long legs and his inattention to her advantage she flipped them so Joe was on his back and she was straddling him.

For a brief moment his eyes widened in surprise, but soon they returned to their hungry, completely focused state. His eyes languidly roamed over her naked body, devouring her skin as if he were burning the memory of her into his mind.

Arlene watched his hand drift up until it cupped her right breast, stroking the sensitive skin on the underside with the pad of his thumb. She dropped her head back, closing her eyes so she could focus fully on the feeling of his warm hand against her burning skin.

When his other hand started its exploration of her breasts her breath hitched, nails digging into his thighs.

At that silent insistence Joe started to massage her breasts, while every so often squeezing the skin between his fingers before tugging on her erect nipples.

A throaty moan poured from between her lips as she sunk her nails further into his legs.

Suddenly feeling emboldened and devilish she snapped her eyes open and gripped both his hands, pinning them down next to his head. She leaned forward so her chest was barely pressed against his and her lips skimmed against the sensitive skin of his earlobe.

"Don't move," she ordered, nipping his earlobe in parting.

His muscles tensed and she knew he was fighting to keep still, and she loved it. Keeping her body skimming his, she traced a path from his ear to his collarbone, alternating between kissing, sucking and nibbling.

As she started her torturous journey down his chest and stomach Joe grabbed her thighs, fingers digging almost painfully into her flesh as he tried to restrain himself. Arlene smirked against his scorched skin, pleased when she felt his chest vibrate with a loan growl.

When she reached the sensitive skin at the bottom of his pelvis she stole a glance at his face. His eyes were watching her, two black orbs begging her to continue and stop at the same time.

Deciding she was having too much fun to stop, she shifted her body so she was kneeling between his legs. She ran her nails along both defined thighs, scratching hard enough to leave long red lines up and down his legs. Dipping her head she tracked the path of one red line from his knee upwards with the tip of her tongue.

As she reached his member she paused for a beat so her eyes could flick up to his face. Joe's eyes were pressed shut, his tongue running along his swollen lips as his hands grabbed and twisted the sheets.

Satisfied that she had his full attention she dipped her head and blew warm air along his shaft.

"Oh God," he growled.

Emboldened she continued her tongue's earlier path from the base to the tip, flicking it along the top.

"Arlene, baby, come here," he begged.

In answer she caressed him with her lips, encircling him at the top as one hand gripped his balls.

An incoherent string of curse words flowed from him as she dipped her head lower and lower until she could go no further.

Gently sucking onto him she pulled her head back, grabbing his base with one hand and stroking it with her thumb. Almost mirroring his earlier ministrations.

"God, please," he rasped.

His words pushed the heat pooling in her stomach up to an unbearable temperature. Without giving it a second thought she moved so she was hovering above him, their bodies a mere inch apart.

Joe released his grip on the sheets and his hands shot to her hips as if she were a lifeline and he was a drowning man.

Arlene held her breath and shifted her weight until she could slowly lower herself onto him, merging their bodies. The feeling of him inside of her, at one with her, pulled a long, deep moan from her core, through her chest and from her lips.

"Joe," she exhaled.

"I'm right here baby."

Filling her lungs with air she started to rock her hips back and forth in slow, long movements as Joe's strong hands guiding her hips. But then he bucked his hips up to meet her rhythm and the change of angle sent a shock wave crashing through her. She bent forward, placing her hands on either side of his face, and moved until the friction between them increased tenfold.

Her rhythm quickened, becoming harder and faster with each thrust. Joe grabbed the back of her head with one hand and pressed her lips down hard onto his. They breathed against each other. Hard, ragged breaths that matched the frantic pace.

She could feel the heat in her core building and building and soon she was lost in the feeling of them.

"Joe, God," she cried out as her walls started to shake and shudder.

"C'mon baby," he commanded.

The heat built and built until the walls gave one final shudder and collapsed. Fire flooded her entire body, making every muscle shudder uncontrollably. She sunk her teeth into his shoulder to stifle her cry as Joe gave two frantic thrusts before crying, "Arlene. Fuck!"

He jerked beneath her and as he did he wrapped one arm around her waist, crushing her body against his. Their lips met in a hungry kiss, neither one able to get enough of the other, as wave after wave crashed over them.

Slowly the fire ebbed until they were left breathlessly holding on to one another. Joe pressed his forehead against hers and raked his fingers through her hair, pulling it off of her sweaty face.

"I'm never going to let you get away again," he stated.

She smiled and rubbed the tips of their noses together. "I'll never run away again."

She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually the breeze coming in through the window felt cold against her moist skin. Reaching for Joe's wrist she groaned when she caught sight of the time.

 _One hour left._

"We really can't fall asleep this time," she said. Jessica walking in on them would be awkward, but more so for Joe than her, but Nixon coming home to this, she'd never live it down.

"M'hm, that's what you said last time. And here we are," Joe replied.

She playfully slapped his chest and he rubbed it, pretending it had actually hurt.

"I'm being serious. Imagine Jessica walking through that door to this."

"I assume she didn't give you the home to yourself because she thought we were going to play cards and drink tea."

"You see the bundle of white fabric in the corner?" she asked, pointing somewhere across the room.

He lifted his head so he could see what she was pointing at. "Yeah."

"That's her actual bedding. She put on clean ones this morning and asked that we simply take them off and throw them in the wash when we leave. So no, she is under no illusions. Although, I'm quite thirsty now that you mention it."

Joe gave a short laugh before replying, "She thinks of everything, huh?"

"It's her way of surviving. Has been since she was a kid."

She froze, only realising after she'd spoken what she'd said. But if Joe had picked up on anything he didn't press her, instead asking, "How do you know that's her clean bedding?"

She lifted her head so she could look at him. "She left me note, I read it when we came in. Remember?"

He smirked. "Nah, I was preoccupied."

"With what?"

"Checking out your ass."

She rolled her eyes, but grinned smugly despite herself. "C'mon, let's get dressed and get this room ready for Jess. Then you can make me that tea you offered."

"Offered?"

With a lopsided smile she replied, "M'hm."

Joe chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Let's make you some tea."

XXXXXXX

Hello everyone! I've missed you all, it's been a while.

I hope you enjoyed the fluffy, (mostly) steamy with a dash of angst chapter. I figured it was about damn time for these relationships to get a move on.

With the festive season in full swing I'll be writing erratically, but soon I'll be back to my old routine.

To my AMAZING Guest reviewer thank you so so so much for the great feedback. I actually smiled like a crazy person in public when I read it.

To everyone that added the story to their alerts you too are amaze (yes, I just abbreviated amazing, I blame all the Christmas jingles playing on the radio)

Love hearing from you all and we'll chat again soon.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Arlene POV

Arlene leaned back, gingerly resting her sore muscles against the rough wooden fence that surrounded the Easy mess. Before the war the building had been an average sized barn with a dirt and grass track running around it, forming a yard of sorts at the entrance. Now the large interior was filled with long wooden tables and benches in order to cram as many soldiers into it as possible.

Men in uniform dotted the open grassy space in front of the building's entrance and more filtered in through the wide gap in the wooden fence.

Her eyes scanned each face, mentally ticking off the ones she recognised before quickly moving on, as she intently searched for one man in particular.

With her mind focused on the soldiers in front of her she rolled her shoulders back without thinking. A low groan rolled up her chest and it took all her self-control not to hiss. Everything hurt, every muscle in her body was either stiff or bruised, or in most cases a bit of both.

"You okay?" her best friend asked beside her.

Arlene carefully twisted her neck, all too aware now of her sore muscles, so she could glare at the pretty blonde.

Jessica smiled sweetly back at her, the picture of innocence if there ever was one.

"You are an evil woman," she growled, narrowing her eyes further until she was staring at the other woman through two slits.

Jessica gave a hint of a shrug and replied, "Oddly enough, you're not the first person to tell me that."

She rolled her eyes at the nonchalant response, grateful that at least those muscles didn't hurt, before turning back to watch the men and continue her search.

For every face she recognised there were three she'd never seen before. Even when she spotted some of their own men, the new faces still outnumbered the old.

 _Replacements._

A few seconds of silence passed between the two women when a hand holding a lit cigarette obstructed her view. "Consider it a peace offering.".

She accepted the cigarette, taking a long, slow drag before exhaling. "I haven't been this sore since the first year of training. Did you and Alex make a bet to see who could come up with the best way to torture us?"

Arlene felt Jessica shift her weight from one foot to the other and heard the low groan. "Yes, because all we did the whole week was sun ourselves while you lot worked up a sweat."

She twisted her neck slightly so she could shoot her friend a look, but when she saw the concern etched into Jessica's delicate features she paused and wordlessly turned back to the men, following her friend's gaze. It didn't take her long to find the group of soldiers that had caught the other woman's attention.

Their new replacements were standing with a handful of Easy men, all replacements themselves she assumed since she didn't recognise a single one. The men were talking animatedly amongst themselves as they shared a few cigarettes, oblivious to the two women studying them.

"They're good soldiers. The last week of training proved that much. You and Alex put them through their paces and they kept up," she offered.

Jessica took drag of her own cigarette, and as the smoke drifted out in front of them she simply said, "They're all so young."

"You're younger than a lot of them."

"No, I'm not. I mean, I am in years, but I don't feel it. They're young and idealistic. They want to be heroes."

"I don't think that's unique to our replacements, or replacements in general. By the way our men, old and new, look at you and Alex, you already are heroes to them."

"They give you and John the same looks."

She stubbed out her cigarette butt on the thick wooden stake to her left as she exhaled the last bit of smoke. "It's because we've been around the block a few times. I've known you for years. I've seen you work. You're a hero."

Jessica scoffed as she tossed her cigarette to the ground, stamping it out with the heel of her boot. "I'm not a hero. I just want to get my team home alive. Maybe make it back myself. Some days it seems I've failed more than I've succeeded."

Her heart clenched in her chest. "It's war. People die. That's not your fault or failing. And I can personally say you've saved me more than once. Like in Holland."

Jessica's brow furrowed at the mention of the country and for a split second her fingers balled into two tight fists. But then, in the blink of an eye, her face and her hands relaxed, a teasing smile creeping across her lips. "I'm relieved your taste in men has improved since then. I would hate to have to disapprove of another one of your boyfriends."

She couldn't help the smile that pulled at the corners of her lips, or the suppressed laugh that came out as a snort. Jessica always was able to change the subject so quickly it nearly gave you whiplash.

"I'm glad you approve, but Joe did tell me you threatened him with bodily harm if he messed up."

Jessica gasped and the unexpected sound made her whip around to face her friend.

"No-no, I did no such thing," Jessica exclaimed, blonde hair shaking side to side.

"Really?" Arlene drawled, knowing her friend better than that.

A mischievous smirk slowly rolled over Jessica's face, taking all the fake innocence along with it. "I promised to kill him, I never threatened to harm him."

"Jessica!" she exclaimed, but even she didn't think she sounded very upset and Jessica's widening grin confirmed her suspicion.

She huffed out a breath and shook her head. "As I said before. Evil."

Her friend shrugged. "You still love me."

"Mmmmm...it comes and goes."

"Wow, so mean."

The two women fell into a companionable silence again as they watched more and more familiar faces join the replacements. The men that noticed them standing off to one side waved and smiled, but no one encroached on their private moment, not even John or Alex when they finally arrived with Winters and Nixon. The four men briefly glanced in their direction, waved and smiled before heading into the barn.

As her hand dropped back to her side, and without looking at Jessica she asked, "Have you seen Speirs yet? Since that night."

She felt Jessica's body tense for a split second before the she regained her composure. "No. The few days before the replacements arrived, I spent the little free time I had with Richard. God it was amazing."

"And then we left for a week long picnic from hell in the woods thanks to our two fearless leaders," Arlene added for good measure.

 _My muscles are going to ache for a week, someone needs to listen to me bitch about it. May as well be one of the people who caused it._

"I'm so glad you had fun. You're welcome."

"That wasn't a thank you and don't change the subject."

"There isn't anything to change. No, I haven't seen him and I'm not looking forward to it either."

"So, you're not going to avoid him?"

Jessica stepped away from the fence and turned so they were facing one another. Her voice remained low and even, but her eyes flashed as she answered, "Why must I be the one to go out of my way to avoid him? He was the drunken ass with the pretty blonde girlfriend he'd failed to mention. He should be avoiding me out of sheer embarrassment."

She held up her hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm on your side. Does Richard know?"

"No, and I'm not planning on telling him. They may need to work together, hell, we may need to work together. There's nothing to gain from causing a scene."

She knew there was more to it, but decided against pushing the subject further right then. "When did you become so mature?" she asked instead.

Jessica wrinkled her nose. "I don't know; you must be rubbing off on me. I'm not sure I like it."

She chuckled as she nodded towards the barn. Most of the men had gone inside, only a few stragglers were loitering near the entrance. And one of them was Joe.

The moment he'd entered the small yard her eyes had locked onto him. Throughout her conversation with Jessica she'd followed his every movement. He had briefly glanced over to her and nodded his head in greeting. She'd flicked her lips up into the start of a smile, hoping he could see the small gesture.

That was it. That was all they could risk out in the open, surrounded by soldiers. It was actual torture keeping her distance from him, far worse than what Jessica and Alex had put them through. At least then she'd been too exhausted to miss him to badly.

Jessica turned to the door and said, "Oh, I see."

"We have to go inside soon, anyway," she replied as she slowly started for the door.

Jessica fell into step next to her. "True, but your timing is awfully convenient."

She didn't argue, the blush warming her entire face wouldn't allow her to anyway.

Her friend took pity on her, draping an arm across her shoulders as she said, "You two are adorable."

Leaning ever so slightly into her best friend she giggled before she could stop herself. She felt Jessica's chest expand but before her friend could say anything, she cut her off with a weak, "Not a word."

Jessica hesitated for a beat, but in the end she conceded. "Fine. If it makes you feel any better Richard and I have to be discreet as well. Not, loitering-at-the-door-barely-making-eye-contact-discreet of course. But we can't go around holding hands, gazing adoringly into each other's eyes."

"Thanks, but I can't really imagine Richard being all doe eyed."

"I don't know, I've seen how he and Nix look at one another."

The words barely reached her ears when she burst out laughing, the sound exploding from the depths of her chest with such force it surprised her. Soon Jessica's boisterous laughter joined hers and they'd stopped walking, unable to do both at the same time.

She could feel people staring at them. Two women nearly doubled over, their laughter loud and unconstrained, not a single ladylike shred anywhere to be found. But even as her brain registered their stares it dismissed them.

 _Fuck it, life's short._

Slowly their laughter ebbed until they were gasping for air and wiping tears from their eyes.

"Oh God," Jessica said between gasps, "I thought I was the only one that noticed it."

"No, those two are so in love. It's actually quite something to behold."

"You want to hear something really evil?"

"Oh no, what now?"

"Nix still doesn't know about us?"

"You sure? We have been away for a week. Richard may have given up the game."

Jessica shook her head, a few strands of blonde hair catching the afternoon sun. "As soon as Nix saw me this morning, he started pestering me. He tried to be sneaky about it, but I could see right through him. Judging by the things he asked I suspect Richard's having more fun with this than he's letting on."

"Oh, so Mr. Perfect has a naughty side. That bodes well."

This time it was Jessica's turn to blush, pink blotches quickly spreading from her cheeks to her neck. "C'mon. We need to get inside."

"Changing the subject again?" she teased, but followed her friend to the open door where Joe still stood, casually leaning against the doorframe, cigarette between his lips.

 _Those lips…Arlene, stop it! Stop thinking about his lips. Now!_

Just as she was about to disappear into the shadowy interior Jessica glanced over her shoulder and winked. Arlene ignored her friend and slowed her pace so she naturally paused next to Joe.

"Liebgott," she greeted him.

It was the first time they'd been this close to one another since the day spent in bed together. She could feel her heart beating against her pulse points and it took an embarrassingly large amount of concentration to remind herself not to reach for him. Or stare at his lips.

Joe tossed his smoke to the ground and stomped it out as he shoved his hands deep inside his pockets. "Lieutenant Green. Heard you lot had a rough week."

She smiled. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

Joe smirked and she nearly groaned out loud. "I don't doubt that."

"We had to be sure the new boys are up for the challenge. And that they know their place."

"And?"

"They're still here."

Joe nodded and she could see some strain leave his eyes.

"How 'bout yours? How are they?"

He scoffed and shrugged. "Green, all with a point to prove. Some of them had to be taught some manners."

She nodded. She knew what that meant, that some of the men had made some remarks about her or Jessica which would have earned them latrine duty if they'd said it about any other officer.

She wasn't surprised, hell she would have been shocked if that hadn't been the case.

"That's to be expected I suppose. I can only imagine the things you lot said when we weren't around."

Joe had the decency to blush instead of protest.

 _Men will be men._

"In the end it doesn't matter. What matters is how we all work together in the field, and that turned out wonderfully."

Joe's smirk returned along with a dark twinkle to his deep brown eyes. "Yes it did."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, or blush, or giggle like a little girl. Really anything that would give them away.

Fate intervened on her behalf when Carwood Lipton stopped next to her. "Lieutenant Green, how are you doing ma'am? I heard you all put your new boys through the ringer."

"I'm doing well thank you Lip, but how many times do I have to tell you to call me Arlene?"

Lipton shyly dropped his gaze and ran a hand along the back of his head. "I guess once more ma'am."

She smiled and reached for the Sergeant's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze before dropping it back to her side. "It's okay Lipton. You were just raised right. You know your manners."

The man looked up, and even though the blush was still there, he'd relaxed. She liked Lipton. He was a good man and a great Sergeant. A bit of a mother hen, but a large group of men needed one to keep them all alive and well. She also knew as lovely as he was, he didn't flinch away from the ugly business of war and was as steady as they came under fire.

"Oh, and you don't have to feel too bad for our replacements. Alex and Jessica gave us a 24-hour pass tomorrow."

"I'm sure they're grateful for that. I know we are. Captain Winters gave every man one as well for tomorrow."

She glanced over at Joe, the smallest hint of a smile pulling at her lips. "Well, isn't it nice when things work out."

Joe dropped his head to hide his broadening smile. "I should head in," he mumbled, the smallest of tremors in his voice.

Lipton didn't hear it and he didn't notice that she spent a few seconds watching Joe leave.

Turning back to find Lipton's eyes running over the men seated inside she noticed they were the last two to go in. "Well, we should head inside before we get into trouble."

Lipton turned his eyes to her and smiled sweetly. "After you," there was a second's hesitation before he added, "Arlene."

She beamed back at him.

 _Such a good man._

Nixon POV

"C'mon Dick, just confess already."

He'd tried to weasel and trick the truth out of Dick. He'd attempted bargaining, blackmailing and every other tacit he could think of. But nothing had worked. So he'd finally resorted to good old fashioned begging with a healthy side of badgering.

"Nix, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Talking about what?" Buck asked as he slid in beside Nixon.

Nixon entered the barn with Dick, Alex and John, the four of them quickly making their way over to one side, where a table had been set up for the officers. For now, no one was sitting though. Instead, they were standing in a loose group as they waited for everyone to arrive.

"Nothing Buck. Ignore Nix," Dick replied, shooting him a scowl as he went.

Buck looked from the one man to the other, trying and failing to figure out what was going on.

"You know, you two have been going at it for nearly a week. What's going on? Does one of you know when we're deploying? Or where for that matter?"

"Wish we could tell you something Buck," he said, "but we've only been back a couple weeks. Easy should be staying put for a while still. Hopefully."

The blond lieutenant frowned and Nixon wasn't sure if he'd given him good or bad news.

Each man handled the wait differently. He passed the time by spending as much of it as possible in the company of beautiful women and Vat 69.

"It'll give us time to train the new guys. I swear they finished their training in half the time we did," Buck said.

His eye drifted over the soldiers already seated at tables and the few stragglers who were still finding a seat. You could easily spot the D-day veterans. They sat apart from the replacements, having animated discussions with the air of confidence earned by being there for the invasion of Europe and surviving it.

The replacements however could easily be split into two groups. On the one hand you had those visibly nervous around the veterans, their eagerness to impress written all over their faces, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. Then you had the lot that acted with so much bravado you'd swear they were going to single-handedly invade Germany and kill Hitler. It was a show some pulled off better than others, but a show none the less.

"They'll be fine," Dick's voice of reason broke through his train of thought.

"Who? The replacements?" Harry asked, offering him and Buck a smoke as he joined the group. "Yeah, they'll be fine as long as they don't make trouble for themselves."

As if they'd planned it, he watched Trouble walk through the door, blonde hair catching in the sunlight as crystal blue eyes cut across the room with lethal precision.

 _Man, she really was fucking scary when she wanted to be. Beautiful, but scary._

When Jessica's eyes found their group, she paused for beat and he swore Dick shifted his weight, his chest slowly rising and falling.

 _Nothing to tell my ass._

From where he was standing he couldn't see Dick's face, but he could see Jessica's and hers never changed. She just slowly looked away from them as she started to saunter into the barn.

If some of the replacements were putting on a show, they were all about to get a lesson from a real master in the art.

"This is gonna be good. Ten bucks says one of them tries his luck," Buck, never one to let an opportunity to place a bet go by, said.

"C'mon, that's too easy. No way anyone is taking that," Harry replied.

"Fine. What would you bet then?"

A quick glance showed him Jessica talking to a table of Toccoa men near the middle of the room, but a dozen or so pairs of unfamiliar eyes were watching her. "I'll bet a pack of smokes that she'll put the idiot in his place without saying a single word."

"Not a word? C'mon, even Jessica ain't that good," Buck replied.

"So you in or not?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm in. But make it two packs."

"Deal."

"We should probably all stop staring at her, huh?" Harry said without making a move to look away.

"We need to watch her to see who wins the bet. What's your two's excuse?" he asked.

"I'm a man that enjoys a good show," Harry replied with a cheeky grin.

When Dick didn't say anything they all looked over to him expectantly. Nixon could feel the anticipation bubbling up inside of him, the resulting nervous excitement making a small muscle in his right hand twitch. He was sure this time Dick wouldn't have any other option but to say something incriminating.

 _Yes, c'mon!_

His friend, as if reading his mind, looked him right in the eye, and with the sincerest tone of voice he'd ever heard answered, "These men are my responsibility. If they act in any way which threatens Easy's reputation and professional relationship with Captain King's team I need to know so I can act appropriately."

Buck rolled his eyes and Harry audibly snorted. For his part he glowered at Dick, especially when he caught the mischievous twitch of the other man's lips.

 _Fuck. So close._

"Here we go," Buck said, and he sounded an awful lot like someone watching the races.

Jessica was already half turned away from the table she'd been speaking to when she said something over her shoulder which had all the men within earshot smiling guiltily. The blonde woman threw her head back and laughed, a sound that lifted over the deep throaty sound of the men's voices to easily carry over to their ears.

He plotted her most likely path to them and quickly found a group of replacements huddled over their table, talking quietly but animatedly. When one of them spotted Jessica walking towards their group he started subtly nudging the man sitting at the end of the bench closest to her path. In no time at all his gentle nudges become something closer to shoves and you could actually see the anticipation building in each man.

"If she kills one of them, I'm going to testify it was an accident," Harry mumbled.

"Surely they're not this dumb. She's a captain for God's sake," Buck said, his words laced with a mixture of disbelief and glee.

"No Buck, that bunch is definitely stupid enough," Dick replied and Nixon swore he could hear the explicit adjectives on the tip of Dick's tongue.

"Oh, this isn't good. John, go make sure our boys stay in their seats," Alex's voice appeared out of nowhere.

Of course he'd been standing close by all along, but it wasn't until he spoke that Nixon remembered he was there.

 _Alex, John and a handful of lethally trained soldiers who would have no issue finishing a fight if it meant protecting their Captain's honour._

"We could stop it before it starts," Harry offered meekly.

"No," Alex replied instantly, "it won't help anyone if the men think we're going to her rescue."

"Yeah, well. We're not going to her rescue, we're saving those clowns from themselves," Buck restored.

Those clowns were by now so pumped up they didn't see the tables of soldiers staring at them, cigarettes stumped out and muscles tensed. They didn't notice the group of officers silently willing them to use common sense and follow military rules.

They only had eyes for Jessica King.

 _On three, two, one. Show time folks._

The replacement half-stumbled, half-popped out of his seat, completely blocking Jessica's path. She stopped slowly; planting her feet slightly apart as she clasped her hands behind her back. The man pulled himself up to his full height and his young, muscular frame towered over the woman's.

Nixon couldn't hear what the guy was saying, but he could see his lips move as he gestured towards Jessica and then back to himself. When he finished speaking he smiled triumphantly, but that soon faltered when Jessica didn't respond.

At all.

Honestly, from where he stood he wasn't even sure she'd blinked once since the encounter had started.

"Well, that's unnerving," Buck echoed his thoughts.

The replacement took a faltering step towards Jessica, an ungainly act which gave the impression he'd managed to trip whilst standing still rather than someone taking intentional action.

Jessica did not give an inch. Nothing flinched, nothing tensed.

 _Is she still breathing?_

The soldier was able to stop himself before he crashed into her and he quickly started to speak, but this time it seemed rushed and rambling. His earlier confidence rapidly abandoning him.

For the first time since she'd stopped walking Jessica moved. It was slow, graceful and deliberate. She tilted her head to the side and raised one perfect eyebrow. The guy managed to stammer out a few more words before he lost his voice.

The soldier's friends tried to hide their laughter, but they weren't trying very hard. This quickly changed though when the captain's ice blue eyes swivelled in their direction. You could practically feel the chill that ran over the group as Jessica gave them her full attention. They were looking everywhere but at her. Unfortunately for them everywhere they looked they found unfriendly faces staring back at them.

Satisfied, Jessica turned back to the man still standing in her path. He was either frozen in fear or far dumber than Nixon thought possible, because he did not move. That was not until Jessica took one very deliberate stride towards him. A stride which would bring her up against him if he didn't move. But move he did. The fool almost fell sideways back into his seat, half landing on-top of his friend.

Jessica's stride never broke, she kept moving through the space the soldier had occupied a split second earlier as if he'd never even been there. With every step he could feel the men around him relax and stealing a glance at the table Jessica's men occupied he could see them do the same.

"Well fuck," Harry breathed out.

"Well, that was impressive," Buck said.

"And terrifying," Alex added.

A chorus of "H'hm" echoed that statement.

Before anyone could say anything more Jessica joined them, her eyes and lips softening, losing their glacial quality as she smiled softly up at each man.

"Enjoy the show?" she asked.

Her question was simply answered by the sound of four grown men clearing their throats.

"That's what I thought."

Dick was the first to speak, saying, "I apologise for the conduct of my men Captain King."

"Don't worry about it Richard. It isn't the first time, won't be the last. Luckily he had the good sense to sit down before I had to make him move. I would hate to put one of your men in the hospital."

Dick shrugged. "Frankly, that would have been a more acceptable outcome."

Three pairs of shocked eyes turned to openly stare at Dick. His brain desperately tried to pounce on this golden opportunity to get his friends to confess to their relationship, but somewhere the signal was getting lost between his brain and his mouth, because he just stood there. Gaping.

"Arlene, you missed the show," Jessica said and he knew he'd lost his chance.

"I watched from the door. Quite the performance you put on."

"I didn't mean that. I was referring to this lot. Gawking like a gaggle of teenage girls."

Arlene snorted, quickly trying to hide it behind her hand.

"We should start," Dick said and with that everyone shuffled around, finding a seat at the empty table.

As Sergeant Lipton started the briefing, running down the itinerary for the next few days, including the 24-hour leave everyone had coming up, Dick took his seat in the only open space left at the table.

The fact that, that space was between Jessica and Alex was either by luck or design.

"Buck," he nudged the man in the ribs, earning him a sidelong scowl.

"You owe me two packs. Pay up."

Buck's scowl intensified but he didn't protest and he handed over his prize.

A small hand flashed out in front of him and he followed it up the arm until he found its owner. Jessica wasn't looking at him, her eyes trained on Lipton, but when he didn't hand over a pack she wiggled her fingers.

"Fine," he mumbled under his breath, slapping a pack into her palm.

The cigarettes vanished in a flash and in their place, Jessica shot him a wink.

He rolled his eyes, but couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his lips. A smile that only broadened when he noticed Jessica was sitting pressed against Dick when there was open air between her and Alex.

 _I will crack them._

Jessica POV

If you asked her what Lipton had said during his briefing, she wouldn't be able to tell you. Even if the fate of the war effort hung in the balance, she still wouldn't be able to answer with even a shred if certainty. Although she'd make up a damn good story.

What she could tell you was how the warmth that emanated from Richard as she sat with her side pressed to his slowly curled around her until she felt as if she were melting into him. She could go into great detail about how he smelled. Clean and masculine, an intoxicating mixture of soup and spice.

She'd be able to drone on and on about how she could feel their bodies straining against their minds, trying to be closer to one another.

But what Lipton said. She didn't have a damn clue.

 _Okay King, you need to get a grip or this is going to become a problem._

"Jessica," Harry's voice brought her mind crashing back to the here and now.

"H'm?"

"So, you joining us?"

 _Oh, crap. Apparently I missed more than the briefing._

"Yes," Arlene stepped in, "we'll be joining you all at the pub tonight. Don't see why not since we can sleep in tomorrow morning."

 _What a lifesaver. I love that woman._

"What she said. Oh, actually! Now that I think about it my brother may be joining us."

Before she could take a breath to continue her train of thought Nixon jumped in. "Whoa, whoa, whoa there beautiful. You're telling me David's here and you kept this a secret? What other secrets are you keeping from me, huh?"

She rolled her eyes. _You're gonna have to do better than that Nix._

"Secrets? From you? Only one or two."

The corners of his lips started to curl upwards as he leaned forward, planting his elbows on the table so he could rest his chin in the palms of his hands. Looking every bit like the cat that caught the canary Nixon purred, "Only one or two? Do share."

"Oh, Nixon darling. Those big, brown beautiful eyes of yours may work wonders on most women. But since I have no intention of jumping into bed with you, you'll have to try harder than that."

Richard cleared his throat next to her and she resisted the urge to look over to him because the moment she did they would give Nixon all the proof he needed.

She caught Arlene smiling devilishly as she watched the exchange. Nixon must have followed her gaze because he slowly turned his head so he could see the brunette and asked, "What do you know?"

"More than you do," Arlene replied.

Probably sensing defeat Nixon's hands disappeared from the table, just for one to reappear with a flask seconds later.

"Eventually you'll tell me."

"Tell you what?" Buck asked, crystal blue eyes darting from Nixon, to her, to Arlene.

"Who she's playing house with," Nixon replied.

"Oh, you mean it's not Speirs? Jesus, don't let him hear that. We don't want a murder charge on our hands," Buck said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Speirs' name had barely made it past the man's lips when she felt Richards' muscles tighten and from the corner of her eyes, she could see his jaw harden as if it were cut from solid rock.

She'd never been one to entertain a man's jealousy and more often than not she'd found it oddly off-putting. Whatever spark had been there quickly snuffed out and replaced by something between boredom and distaste. But not this time. No, this time her body reacted before her mind could even process what was going on. Her lower abdomen contracted sending a slow, simmering heat crawling up her stomach and into her chest. She consciously had to keep her breathing even and calm, using every ounce of self-restraint not the reach for the soldier sitting pressed against her.

 _Get it together. This is not you. Just_ …, she wanted to scream in frustration. _Why weren't we alone?_

The awkward silence that filled the table as everyone waited for her reaction knocked some sense back into her, finally allowing her brain to regain a small measure of control over her body.

 _We're going to have to work on that. Shit._

"Excuse me?" she managed to cough out.

Buck simply shrugged. "Yeah, the guy's obviously crazy for you. I mean, Speirs is a little crazy to start with, but he definitely has the hots for you. He even let that pretty blonde girl of his go."

The warmth which had threatened to overwhelm her good sense a moment before was slowly replaced by a different type of heat. The searing kind which sharpened her tongue and her mind, one she'd gotten well acquainted with over the years.

"Well, I'm sure soon enough she'll see what a blessing it is to be rid of him."

Alex snorted, projecting some of his coffee across the table so a few drops landed on John, the younger man slowly and dramatically wiping his face.

"You okay there buddy?" Buck asked, clearly amused.

Wiping off the last few drops of coffee from his chin Alex just waved Buck off before turning his eyes to her. "That's harsh Jessica."

She shrugged one shoulder indifferently.

"Yeah, don't let Speirs see you do that," Harry said between drags of a cigarette.

"Do what?" she asked.

"Not care. That'll only make him try harder," he replied.

 _Oh, anger my old friend. How I've missed you._

Just as she was about to open her mouth to give Harry and everybody else a piece of her mind Richard simply and coolly stated, "He can try."

She heard her jaw slam shut and this time her eyes did find him, and so did everybody else's.

"What?" Arlene burst out, saying the word so loudly a few extra heads turned in their direction.

"Well, for starters Jessica doesn't seem like a woman swayed by badgering."

"And?" Nixon asked, the flask of presumably Vat 69 forgotten, hovering inches away from his lips.

"And," Richard continued evenly, his eyes findings hers for a beat before he turned back to Nixon, "I'm sure that if she's with anyone, that man wouldn't let her go without a fight. And it's not a fight Speirs can win."

 _Goodbye anger and indignation. Hello, whatever the hell this feeling this._

Try as she might, and she really did try, she couldn't tear her eyes from Richard's face. There, just below the surface was a simmering fire she'd never seen before in the usually perfectly composed man. There was something about seeing Richard react with a mixture of possessiveness and confidence to the possibility of another man trying to win her over that just got under her skin in the very best, if ill timed, way.

Any other man she would have gone off on him for even insinuating that it would be up to two men to decide who she was with, as if she had no say in the matter. But right at that moment all she could do was openly stare at Richard and focus on breathing in and out. Focus on not reaching for him or reacting to the warmth slowly making its way through her body.

 _Look away Jessica. He's not that handsome. Just, look away and get it together. People are going to start noticing you staring. You're not sixteen. Stop staring._

Thankfully she was saved from her internal dialogue by the same man that was causing her so much distraction when Richard abruptly stood, brushing imaginary dust from his jacket and tugging it straight. "I have some paperwork to do before tonight. Buck?"

The other solider blinked a few times before stammering out, "Huh, yeah?"

 _Apparently I wasn't the only one staring._

"The table of replacements that had disrespected Captain King are with you correct?"

Buck blinked again and looked over his shoulder to the table of soldiers sitting a few feet away from them. "Yes, they're under my command."

"Good, give them all latrine duty for two weeks. I won't have anyone in Easy disrespect an officer like that."

Buck's head bobbed up and down. "Yes, sir."

With one last glance down at her Ricard nodded to the group and left, crossing the barn in a few quick strides before vanishing into the afternoon sun.

 _Well damn, that was unexpected._

Richard POV

He didn't see or hear anything during his brief walk back to his billet. Whatever noise was around him was drowned out by the sound of blood rushing in his ears and his eyes remained diligently focused on the sidewalk just in front of this feet. It was only when his path was blocked by a large, brown door that he stopped.

Richard opened the door with more intent than was necessary and when it slammed shut behind him the harsh sound was enough the make him flinch.

 _Damnit._

He was sure he was alone, but he wasn't willing to take the chance of having to make polite small talk. So he took the stairs leading up to his room two at a time, taking more care to shut his bedroom door softly behind him.

Anybody that knew him even a little bit would use words like calm, collected, stoic or controlled to describe him. He was well aware of the carefully crafted persona he projected to those around him, especially the men under his command. Sure, most would also add choir boy or no fun to his list of attributes, but that didn't bother him as long as the men under his command felt they had a steady and reliable leader. Besides, those closest to him knew better. They knew that behind the control and sense of duty lay a mischievous and playful mind.

And as he paced back and forth in the small, yet comfortable space he called home, he kept trying to reconcile the last hour of his life with the image he'd created for himself. An image which he was comfortable with and felt genuinely reflected who he was as a military commander. An image that felt safe and familiar despite all the chaos that surrounded them.

Logically he knew most people would just assume that, because he holds himself to such high standards, the replacement's disregard for Jessica's rank had rubbed him up the wrong way and that his outburst over Speirs had been nothing more than him projecting his annoyance and disapproval.

Most people would think that, but not all and not him.

There were certain things he'd expected the day to bring.

When he'd woken up an hour early, anxious excitement making it impossible to remain in his bed for one moment longer, he wasn't surprised. He'd missed Jessica. The few days they'd had together before training had fuelled his fascination with her.

The fact that his eyes had found her within seconds of arriving at the Easy mess felt like an inevitability and even the sense of relief that had washed over him when she was once again near him was welcome and comforting.

But then Jessica had her encounter with the replacements and really it was all downhill from there.

As he replayed those few tense moments over and over in his head, he could feel his heart rate pick up again. He angrily tugged at his tie until it loosened enough for him to yank it over his head before tossing in onto the perfectly made bed. Loosening the first two buttons on his shirt he heaved a deep breath, his lungs happily drowning in the cool air.

 _Get it together Richard._

All he'd wanted to do was remove his captain's stripes, walk over to the man blocking Jessica's path, nearly dwarfing her frame with his as he tried to intimidate and impress her, and knock him unconscious.

Of course he knew damn well Jessica could do that herself. He had no illusions about just how proficient she was at knocking jerks flat on their asses. But that hadn't mattered in that moment. All he saw was someone threatening his girl and all he wanted to do was protect her.

 _My girl. Shit. Jessica King is my girl. Maybe. Oh, God._

It still sounded strange in his head. He'd wanted it for so long. Now that it was a reality, he couldn't believe it.

 _Because the moment you do it can be taken away._

The thought jumped to the front of his mind with such clarity and force that his feet stopped dead and his heart hammered to a standstill with a deafening thud.

He stood in the middle of his room, unable to move or think or even breathe, paralyzed by the realisation until his lungs screamed for air and his basic biological need overrode his emotional paralysis.

Even with the oxygen racing into his lungs there was a split second where he felt calm. As if the preceding hour had been only a momentary glitch. For a second he felt in control, steady. And then, as if the temporary respite had been a joke played on him by the universe, he remembered.

Speirs.

This time he wasn't paralysed. No, a switch flipped and sent adrenaline pumping through his veins. His pacing increased until he heard his steps in clear, hard thuds on the carpeted floor and he was faintly aware of the skin stretching tight over his knuckles as he looked around the room for anything to hit, or break.

It was that surge of unexpected anger that brought him finally crashing down from the emotional seesaw he'd been on.

Richard dropped onto his bed, consciously unclenching his fists and focusing all his energy on his breathing. He had to get himself under control.

Even in battle he'd never felt such a surge of anger. He'd killed men and looking back he couldn't say he'd hated them. They were simply fighting on opposites sides of a conflict far greater than any one individual. He was doing what he had to do for his country, for those men next to him. And they were doing the same.

And here he was, safely tucked away in Aldbourne England, in the home of a family he loved, contemplating inflicting actual bodily harm on another man for no other reason than he liked the woman Richard was with.

 _But she's not just another woman. Not to you._

He suddenly felt exhausted. Unable even to sit up straight he dropped his forearms onto his thighs and dropped his head between his shoulders.

He tried shutting his eyes but that proved fatal because all he saw was the way Speirs looked at Jessica. He knew that look. Want, hunger, maybe even affection. He knew how dangerous that combination was in a man like Speirs.

In his search for a solution to his problem he contemplated ending things with Jessica. His logic told him it was a good idea, but his heart, his body shouted at him that it wasn't an option. Even if she wasn't with him he'd still worry about her, still want to protect her. He knew he'd regret letting her go because it really wouldn't change the way he felt.

And worse of all she'd be with someone else. And that thought gripped his stomach and twisted it until he thought he might gag. And right there, he knew walking away wasn't an option.

 _What am I going to do?_

 _XXXXX_

 _I'm back! I have no real reason for staying away so very long. I've never forgotten about the story, or Arlene and Jessica, and in this time I've come up with multiple versions of their tale. Some waayyyy more dramatic than others._

 _Thank you to everyone that read, reviewed, favourited and followed the story. I really appreciate the time you all take on the story despite my absence._

 _I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next one is already in the making so the wait won't be so long this time._

 _Have a fantastic week and weekend!_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Arlene POV

Arlene lazed on her best friend's bed as the blonde rummaged through her trunk, muttering to herself. She was staring out the window, follow a puffy cloud's path as it slowly glided across the blue sky, day dreaming about the afternoon Joe had planned for them.

Suddenly her view and day dreams were interrupted by a waterfall of crimson fabric covering her head.

"Jessica," she grumbled, tossing the discarded dress to the ground where it joined the rest of Jessica's limited cupboard.

Jessica waved one hand over her head as she continued to rummage through her nearly empty trunk with the other. "Yes-yes, I'm sorry. I'm just so damn mad I could throttle someone!"

She rolled her eyes, having heard varying versions of the same story the night before. They'd gone out to the pub and Jessica's brother had sauntered in around midnight. When she'd asked him where he'd been, David had smiled coyly and simply replied, "A gentleman never kisses and tells. I hope your paratrooper knows that."

Of course he'd know. He and Jessica shared almost everything and with her connections she was able to get letters to him which bypassed the censors.

The evening had been pleasant, if a little to boozy for her taste. Richard had left early, but only after agreeing to David's plan for an afternoon picnic in the countryside. All plus ones welcome he'd added with a mischievous grin.

She swore she'd spotted Richard blush. Then again it had been warm inside the confined space of the small pub.

Joe had made a painfully brief appearance. Bill had gotten into a scuffle with someone from Dog Company and soon enough half of the pub was being kicked out. Joe, never one to walk away from a fight, had of course been sent packing by the owner along with the rest of his friends, but not before he'd managed to pass a note to Luz who handed it to her as he'd stumbled out.

Joe had planned their own countryside picnic. Somewhere he was certain no one they knew would be. Jessica had helped him find a car and she knew her friend would make sure their group outing didn't come close to her and Joe's date.

As she reluctantly propped herself up on her elbows she asked, "With Richard? Personally, I thought it was adorable how protective he got. Actually, considering how stoic the man normally is, seeing that flare of emotion was quite thrilling. And promising if you know what I mean."

A blonde head popped up over the foot of the bed. "I know, right? I swear if we'd been alone…"

"I really don't need the details. Well, not right now at least."

Her friend shot her a glare a second before her head vanished as she continued her rummaging.

"So, if you're not mad at Richard, then Speirs?"

Jessica slammed closed the lid of trunk, smacking the palms of her hands on the closed lid to emphasise her point. "That bastard does not get to feature in this conversation. We've already spent far too much time discussing him."

Arlene held up her hands. "Then who? Surely not those silly replacements?"

Jessica just snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Then who?"

Jessica rocked back on her heals and she could see the fight slowly leave her friend. "Myself. I'm furious with myself."

Her brow furrowed and she sat up straight on the bed.

 _This is new. Or was I so drunk I'd missed this part of the story last night? Hmmm…nope, I hadn't had that much._

"What? Why? You didn't do anything wrong? Sure, you stared at Richard when he not so subtly threatened Speirs. A truly fantastic moment by the way."

Jessica's lips softened into the start of a smile, so she continued, "But we were all staring and no one noticed. Well, except Nixon but he was looking."

Her friend half stood and crawled onto the bed, flopping down on her stomach next to Arlene, and turning her head so it was facing her way, cheek pressed into the soft bedding. "No, it's the fact that I've never reacted that way. Usually, when someone I'm spending time with starts to act overly protective or possessive or jealous, I'm put off at the very least. But yesterday I… I wanted him more because of it. I liked it."

Jessica turned her head and groaned into the bed.

Even if she wanted to, she couldn't stop the grin that crossed her lips. Lying back down, she twisted her neck so she could look at her friend. "Well, I think you just pointed out the problem."

Jessica lifted her face from the bed so they were facing one another. A deep frown was etched across her forehead and she made no move to say anything in reply.

 _Either stubborn or clueless._

"When describing the men in your past you said 'spending time with', not relationship or romantically linked or any other euphemism. You've always kept men at arm's length. And most of the time that's for the best all things considered. But Richard really isn't like any of the men you've spent time with before."

Jessica continued to frown, but didn't interject, which she took as a sign to carry on.

"You have genuine feelings for him and judging by his uncharacteristic reaction yesterday he shares those feelings. I suspect neither one of you is really adept at letting your guard down, but I don't think you're going to have a choice."

Jessica pouted, the stubborn little frown staying in place. "Yes I do."

"No my girl, you don't. That's not how feelings work and you know it. You can shove them down but that doesn't make them go away."

Jessica stuffed her face into the bed. "Smarty pants," came the muffled reply.

"So what are you going to do?"

With a huff Jessica turned back to face her. "I don't know. I'm not going to run or push him away if that's what you're asking. But, not being in control of my emotions isn't something I'm comfortable with. God, considering our line of work it's downright dangerous."

She turned her head to stare up at the off-white ceiling. She's had the same fears and considerations about her relationship with Joe. Still did.

"I believe," she started unsure if what she was about to say was for Jessica's comfort or her own, "When the shooting starts and we're all up against the wall you'll put your feelings aside. I've seen you do it before. We'll get the job done, whatever it takes."

There was a long, heavy silence. Neither woman spoke because they both knew intimately the price they may need to pay to do their duty. And with Joe and Richard now part of their lives, not to mention the other Easy men they'd grown close to, the price had sharply increased.

Just as the thoughts threatened to take a darker turn there was movement to her side. Turning her head, she found Jessica laying on her side, body raised on an elbow and her signature mischievous glint in her eyes. "But no one's shooting at us now, and we have a 24-hour pass. Speaking of, you haven't thanked me yet you know."

"Thanking you would imply you'd arranged the pass on purpose to coincide with Easy's so I could spend time with Joe."

Jessica gasped and pressed her free hand to her chest. "Who, me? I'd never to such a thing! I simply decided it would be good for our men to mingle with Easy outside of training and our formal activities to further their brotherly bond knowing how valuable that is in the line of fire."

"Oh, I see. So the fact that Joe is taking me on a romantic picnic far away from prying eyes, a picnic he'd started to plan a few days ago already, has nothing to do with it."

"Coincidence, that's all."

"Interesting. And the fact that you now get to spend a day with Richard far away from Aldbourne? Just another coincidence?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. Richard and I had planned it. Alex was more than happy to oblige."

"I cannot believe Alex and John know about you two and not Nixon. The man's more invested in this relationship than either one of you, and yet he's the only one in the dark! I assume David knows?"

"I told him last night when he walked me home. I told him about Speirs as well."

One of her eyebrows arched in surprise. Yes, Jessica and David shared almost everything, but aside from the occasional outburst Jessica hadn't discussed the Speirs incident in detail after she'd told her the story for the first time. And even then Arlene had gotten the feeling her friend was leaving some things unsaid.

"David had asked about Speirs. They'd met remember? And he'd liked him. You know my brother keeps tabs on the people he likes. And the ones he hates now that I think about it."

"Which one does Speirs fall under?"

Jessica lightly shook her head. "I don't know. He wasn't impressed. If Speirs had been there last night he would have punched him right in face."

"Oh, well that would be a pity, damaging that pretty face. Maybe David could punch him somewhere less visible. I can think of a few options, all of whom would also be more painful."

"There will be no punching. But I'll let him know you have some suggestions."

"So, Nix? You going to put him out of his misery or keep a safe distance from Richard for the entire day? A day where, I might add, you're both away from base and everyone you're with, with the exception of Nix, already knows."

Jessica opened her mouth to reply when two soft raps to the bedroom door interrupted her.

"Come in!" Jessica shouted in reply.

The door slowly creaked open and Nixon's thick brown hair appeared from behind it, followed by his bushy eyebrows and deep brown eyes.

 _I can see why all those women fall over themselves for him._

As he fully opened the door and stepped inside both of those bushy eyebrows shot up as he surveyed the chaos in front of him. "Jesus, did the Germans attack?"

Jessica pushed herself so she could sit crossed legged on the bed. "It's not that bad."

"Yes it is," they both chimed in unison.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "What can I help you with Nix? Or did you just miss me?"

"Beautiful, a moment away from you is a moment too long."

Both of them giggled and she spotted a feint blush creep into Jessica's cheeks. It was silly, but considering the state of the world they embraced silly with open arms.

 _What a charmer._

Nixon leaned against the doorframe, watching the two giggling women, a boyish smirk transforming his face, giving it an air of innocent playfulness that suited him well. And for a moment she could imagine him in a life where the war never happened. Thick hair effortlessly styled, his smirk and boyish charm making him the guest of honour at every society event. The life of the party.

"Okay, now that your ego has been sufficiently boosted for the day. I do need to get dressed, and maybe do a little tidying up, so what can I do for you?" Jessica asked.

"I'm bringing a certain lady along to the picnic today," he started to say, but before he could finish his thought Jessica interrupted him, "Not the blonde with the small teeth. I detest that woman."

"You hardly ever spoke to her, how can you detest her? And how do you know what size her teeth are?" he asked.

"Okay, first off, I spent enough time in her presence to know we would not get along. And, secondly, how did you not notice how small her teeth are? You did spend quite some time getting to know her mouth intimately."

Nixon had the good grace to shift his weight uncomfortably before settling back into his position against the doorframe.

She happily watched the exchange between the two friends. Nixon it seems had adopted Jessica as a type of a younger sister and Jessica in turn treated him as if he were her brother. Which wasn't too difficult since he and David were similar in many ways.

"Well? Is Small Teeth coming or not?"

Nixon shook his head and sighed. "No, she isn't coming. I invited Poppy."

"The brunette you disappeared with last night?" Arlene asked, unable to hide her surprise from her voice.

 _He doesn't waste time. I guess life is short and all that._

Reading her mind he replied, "Life's short. Got to take every chance you get at little bit of happiness."

"I can't argue with that," she replied.

"So, does she meet your standards Jess? Or should I look for another companion?"

"No, she's fine. She seems nice enough," Jessica replied.

"And her teeth are in proportion to her face," she added with a wink.

Jessica gave her a conspiratorial smile and Nixon shot her a flat look. She just beamed back up at the man.

Deciding to have some fun she asked, "Nix, did you just come in here to tell Jess you're brining a plus one?" when she knew full well what he was angling for.

 _Shame, the poor man. Jessica and Richard are going to give him an ulcer._

"Actually, I wanted to hear who else was joining us? Poppy doesn't know anyone and it would make her feel more comfortable if we weren't the only couple."

 _Wow, subtle,_ she thought, resisting the urge to smile and shake her head.

"Oh, Alex is bringing his fiancé Bell," Jessica replied, her wide eyes innocently staring up at Nixon.

Arlene coughed and hid her smile behind her hand.

"Of course. They are pretty inseparable. Anybody else? I just want to prepare her."

"Well, John won't bring anyone. Arlene isn't joining us as you know. Prior engagement and all that. Then we have Richard. And I know he isn't bringing anyone with him."

Nixon actually glared at Jessica, but she swore she spotted the corner of his lip twitch up.

 _He's enjoying this. God, they're perfect for one another._

Nixon straightened out as he asked, "Aren't you going?"

"Of course, I'd assumed we'd covered that when we were discussing one of your many conquests a second ago."

The man set his jaw and she was sure he was going to give up the game, but instead he nodded and said, "I'll see you downstairs in an hour then."

"M'hm," Jessica hummed in reply.

As soon as the door shut behind Nixon she playfully slapped her friend on the arm.

"Hey!" Jessica exclaimed.

"You deserve that. Torturing the poor man like that."

"Oh, please. He's a big boy, he can handle is. Besides, if he just asks I won't lie to him."

"Yeah, but he wants to catch you out. That's part of the fun. It's like winning."

"Well, that's not going to happen."

She gave her friend a lopsided smile. "So what's the plan then for today? You and Richard going to just stare at one another from across the picnic blanket?"

"No. I mean we did consider it briefly, but honestly as fun as tormenting Nix is, that would be more effort that it's worth. Besides, like you said, it's one of the few times we'll be in a place where we don't have to be discreet."

As her friend spoke Arlene swung her legs off of the bed and reached to the floor for one of the dresses Jessica had discarded during her frantic rummaging.

"Here," she tossed the dress over her shoulder.

It was a soft, dove blue day dress with a delicate flower pattern. The skirt had an endless number of pleats giving the knee length fabric a beautiful drape.

Jessica smiled sheepishly over at her. "Thank you. I really caused a scene here didn't I?"

"I've seen worse. Of course, those towns had been bombed."

"Oh, ha-ha. But fair."

She smiled as she got up from the bed. These normal moments where their main concerns were clothes and men always felt so surreal, she had to keep reminding herself this wasn't a dream.

Walking to the bedroom door she spoke over her shoulder, "Have fun today. I want to hear every detail of the big reveal."

"Arlene," Jessica called softly, causing her hand to pause on the cool metal of the round doorknob.

Turning so she could see her friend still sitting on the bed, blue dress draped over her lap she replied, "Yeah?"

"I love you."

Her lips move into a smile and felt it reach her eyes. "Twice my girl. Twice."

David POV

The jeep he shared with Nixon, his plus one and Dick pulled to the side of the dirt road just as the second car stopped behind them.

Looking around he could see why Dick had been so adamant they come here for the impromptu picnic. A low wooden fence constructed with thick beams was all that separated the road from the rolling green field, the endless green broken in patches by white flowers. A massive tree stood tall on the nearest rise, its leafy branches casting long shadows that would provide welcome relief from the late summer sun.

"I see what you mean. This is one hell of a spot," he said as he clambered out of the jeep.

His sister skipped over to their jeep, stopping next to Richard. "Isn't it just," she said and he recognised the smile she had on.

When they were kids and she had a secret she couldn't share, the good kind, she'd always smile like that.

Richard glanced down at her and he didn't miss the way his sister's eye softened when they met his.

He loved seeing her like this. Young and beautiful and carefree. He'd like to tell himself that it was only since the start of the war that this side Jessica had begun to vanish, but if he were honest it had become an infrequent site long before she was shipped off.

He tried not to think too much about the years before the start of the war. At least once they were fighting, the enemy was someone far removed from you and the war didn't hit close to home anymore.

He grabbed the blanket and picnic hamper from the back of the jeep. Nixon was too preoccupied simultaneously trying to entertain his date and keep a watchful eye on Dick and Jessica to be of any help, and he was actually quite glad. Whenever thoughts of their life back State side crawled up from the recesses of his mind it always helped keeping his hands busy.

"You lot coming or are we going to stand in the road all day?" John shouted from atop the fence, one leg dangling on each side.

He shook his head and plastered on a smile. He had enough experience to know pretty soon it would be genuine. The darkness never hung around for long anymore.

Walking to the fence he handed John the hamper. "Yeah-yeah, take this."

John happily obliged, easily managing to keep the basket steady while dropping to the other side.

"You coming sis?" he asked over his shoulder.

Jessica finished her whispered conversation with Dick, and he watched her make a point of walking right by Nixon, shooting him an innocent smile that no one in their right mind would buy.

"What?" she asked him.

"How long you two going to keep this up? I just want to know if I should start a betting pool on how long Nixon's sanity is going to last."

Jessica playfully glowered up at him.

He tilted his head to one side and simply waited her out.

Finally conceding defeat she huffed. "Fine. We're going to let him in on the secret today."

"You mean the worst kept secret of all time? Is it really even a secret if everybody here knows? Really?"

"Oh, shut up."

He smirked. God he loved getting under her skin.

"Hey, David, hold this will you?" Alex said and he turned to see the man holding their second hamper out to him.

He took the hamper and watched is Alex easily jumped the fence before helping his fiancé down from the top.

"Here, I'll take it," Nixon, who was casually perched on the fence said, holding out both hands.

"Thanks," he replied handing him the hamper.

Quickly glancing behind Nixon he saw Alex and John racing up the hill and he assumed the tree was their finish line. Bell and Dick were slowly walking after them, an easy conversation obviously flowing between them.

 _Well, they're both easy to get along with._

Nixon handed the hamper down to Poppy, his date for the day, before easily dropping down next to her.

"Seems it's just you and me sis. Want me to give you a boost?"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "The fence isn't even as tall as I am and there's a bar half-way up."

"So is that a no or are you just showing off your ability to state the obvious?"

"Wow, you are just on a roll today huh? What, haven't spent the night in someone else's bed in a while?"

"If you must know-," he started but she cut him off by clapping a hand over his mouth. "No, I do not need to hear that. I prefer to imagine you a chaste virgin."

He snorted and she recoiled, pulling a face as she dramatically wiped her hand on his jacket.

"That's what you get," he said.

For a moment she glared up at him, but then in a flash her face changed and before he could say or do anything she tapped his shoulder and shouted, "Tag! You're it!"

He stood there in a state of disbelief as she easily pulled herself up and over the fence, the fact that she was wearing a dress apparently all but forgotten.

"You little brat!" he shouted after her but a sing-song laugh was all he got in reply.

He grinned and laughed as he watched her skip a few steps and then turn to wait for him to follow.

"C'mon David!" she called and for a moment he was back in their childhood home during happier times. The two of them playing tag, chasing one another all over the place, their mother playfully scolding them for climbing on the furniture and trapesing dirt onto her clean carpet.

He could almost feel the tears sting his eyes, but the pure glee of the moment swept him up. He easily vaulted the fence and the moment his feet touched the other side he pounced forward. A carefree youthful energy drove his feet as his sister's laughter and teasing spurred him on.

As he got close to her he knew what was going to happen next. This was their game after all.

Jessica waited until the very last second to jump out of his way. Just-just escaping his grasp.

"Catch me if you can!" she shouted over her shoulder as she sprinted up the hill, her blue dress and long hair streaming behind her.

She was quick as hell, but he had longer strides so it didn't take him long to catch up to her. His fingertips just grazed her arm when she suddenly vanished from sight. He turned sharply to see her standing still, feet planted firmly and a smug grin on her face.

 _Oh, you think you're smart._

He slowly walked towards her, hands in the air. "C'mon sis, aren't we getting too old for this?"

 _One step closer. Two._

She playfully narrowed her eyes at him. She knew exactly what he was doing.

"You can quit anytime you want to," she replied.

 _Almost got you_ , he thought as she came within reach.

He made to lunge to the right and she dashed left. At the last moment he changed direction and with a yelp he wrapped his arms around Jessica's waist, easily lifting her off of her feet.

She giggled and shouted, her head falling backwards onto his shoulder as his own unconstrained laughter filled the summer air.

He easily carried her the short distance left to their waiting group, gently placing her down on the edge of the shade.

When her feet touched the soft grass his arms tightened around her and he pressed a kiss into the back of her head. "I win," he mumbled into her hair.

"This time," she replied and he could hear the unspoken 'until next time' in her voice.

With a final squeeze he reluctantly let her go. He would never call himself melodramatic, but he swore every time he let her go it felt like that was the last time he'd hold her close.

Richard POV

Richard smiled and any strain which had been in his body melted away watching the two siblings horse about.

After his emotional upheaval the previous day he'd promised himself he was going to keep his feelings for Jessica under control. He'd hoped he'd be able to put a tidy box around them to keep them from expanding even one more inch.

And as always, whether intentionally or not, Jessica had found a way to undermine his well laid plans.

 _It's not even noon yet,_ he thought, even as his face melted into an indulgent smile when David put Jessica down and her eyes met his.

The rest of the group faded into the background of the picturesque day when she lazily walked over to him, her eyes never wavering from his.

He knew Nixon was watching them intently, waiting for them to slip up so he could win their little game and prove they were an item. Nixon could just have asked them outright, but then that wouldn't have been much fun for either side.

The previous evening though he and Jessica had decided it was time to put Nixon out of his misery. Although if David hadn't suggested this outing who knows how much longer they would have kept going.

When Jessica reached him he wrapped his arms around her waist as she rose onto her toes. He dipped his head slightly until their lips met in a feather light kiss which sent his heart skipping.

"Thank God! Finally! I knew it! I knew it!" Nixon's excited shouting shattered their moment of perfect solitude.

He felt Jessica's lip turn into a smile against his and he whispered, "I guess Nix knows now."

"You think?" she whispered back.

Jessica lowered herself back down and rested her face against his chest, the top of her head tucking in right under his chin. He peered over the top of her head to find Nixon staring and pointing, his face split in half by a massive smile.

From the corner of his eye he could see David grinning and Alex and John shaking their heads, Bell tucked herself into Alex's side staring adoringly up at her fiancé.

"You didn't know?" Poppy asked.

Nixon slowly turned to look at his date, his face a mixture of shock, joy and possibly the beginning of indignant outrage.

"Here we go," he heard Jessica's muffled voice.

He muffled his laugh by kissing the top her head.

"You knew?" Nixon asked, and he was sure two words had never been spoken so slowly before.

Poppy shrugged. "Well, Richard and I spoke when we walked over here. I just asked if he was seeing anyone because if not, I have a few friends who would love to meet him."

Jessica lifted her head and he could feel a pair of blue eyes staring up at him. He didn't dare look down.

"And?" Nixon pressed.

"And he said he was with someone already. I asked who and he said Jessica."

"That's it? Just like that?"

"Well, yes. I'd thought it was odd since they hadn't travelled here in the same car but he said they had a reason. I'd assumed it was because they're both soldiers, but I think it was for the entertainment value of this exact moment."

The rest of the group chuckled. He could see why Jessica liked the woman.

 _Pity she wouldn't last long._

"You just asked? And he told you?"

Poppy just shrugged. "Pretty much."

Nixon turned his attention back to him. "That's it. She just asked? And what about the rest of 'em. Because apparently I'm the only one not in on this little tryst."

He raised one eyebrow. "Tryst?"

"You know what I mean. So you told everybody else but not me?" Nixon pressed and he wasn't sure if his friend's feelings were genuinely hurt or if he was just play acting.

"We didn't tell. They asked and we didn't lie to them. Just like we wouldn't have lied to you if you'd asked."

Nixon threw his hands in the air. "Where the hell is the fun in that?!"

Jessica turned in his arms so she could face Nixon. Resting back into him, his arms draped around her, she said, "The fun is in this moment Nixon darling. Well, for us at least."

"Oh, you think you've won, huh?"

"Well, we didn't lose," she retorted.

 _No, I definitely didn't lose. I just have a lot to lose now._

Nixon gaped at them, eyes jumping between their faces as his mouth opened and shut but no sound came out.

"I think you broke him," David said, his brow slightly furrowed in concern.

"Nix?" he asked.

Nixon's eyes stopped moving and his chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath. "Firstly, let me say this is not the end. I will get both of you back. You won't know when or how, but I will have my revenge for the torture you put me through."

"And secondly?" he asked, and he'd admit he was a little apprehensive at what could come next.

But he shouldn't have worried because his best friend's face broke into a grin and he quickly closed the distance between them.

"Secondly, I'm just so goddamn happy," Nixon answered, embracing them in a huge hug, squishing Jessica between their bodies.

Jessica's giggles quickly turned to squirms and he heard a faint, "I need air," from somewhere between them.

"Stop your complaining. You'll live," Nixon retorted, but he stepped back and winked at the woman in his arms.

Nixon really did look, well, happy.

"I would say we should have a celebratory drink the three of us, but since Mr. Perfect over here doesn't drink, it seems it'll be up to you and me beautiful," Nixon said as he reached inside his jacket for the flask of Vat 69 he always kept on-hand.

He rolled his eyes at the other man. Nixon didn't really need an excuse to drink some of his favourite Vat 69, but he definitely wasn't going to let an opportunity to celebrate pass him by.

"Wait Nix," Jessica said and his friend's hand paused inside his jacket, "I brought something special. I've had it for a while and figured today would be the perfect day to open it."

Nixon raised his eyebrows and removed his hand from his jacket, his grin only getting broader if that were even possible.

Jessica chuckled. "I thought that might get your attention. I'd borrowed some very fancy wine from a German general a while back. Don't ask me where I found it or how I got it here, that is one secret I will be taking to my grave."

Nixon held up his hands. "I believe a lady is entitled to a few secrets. I won't ask you about this as long as you keep sharing any more of your secret stash."

"Deal. C'mon, help me pour glasses for everyone."

Jessica made to move away from him but his arms kept her in place. She glanced up, brow furrowed with concern and confusion.

He smiled down at her and pressed a kiss onto her forehead. "I just wasn't ready to let you go," he assured her.

Her body relaxed as she raised herself onto her toes so she could place a kiss on his cheek. "I won't be far."

"You coming? I'm not getting any younger," Nixon interrupted their moment.

He let Jessica go as he shot Nixon a scowl over her head. Nixon just ignored him since he was now the sole focus of two women's attention and had the promise of a glass of something special to look forward to.

"She looks happy."

He hadn't seen or heard David approach, so when the man spoke out of nowhere he nearly jumped, stopping himself in the nick of time from making a fool of himself.

Still, the surprise must have been written all over his face because David chuckled and slapped him on the back. "It's a King skill. Sneaking up on people. Don't worry."

"I'll remember that," he replied a little awkwardly.

He really liked David, but there was just something about being alone with him that made Richard nervous. He chalked it up to the fact that he was in some sort of a relationship with his younger sister and David didn't strike him as the type to take something like that lightly.

As if he could read his mind, another King trait it seemed, David said, "Don't worry Richard. If I had a problem with you and Jess I would have made damn sure it never got this far."

Before he could think he blurted out, "You think she'd listen to you? Because that's a trick you need to teach me."

He cringed a little when he heard the words but David just smiled. "Sorry mate, that's something you have to figure out for yourself. And good luck to you."

"That's what I thought."

"Has she told you anything about our childhood? Or how she ended up in the programme?"

 _Apparently changing the subject on a dime is another thing they have in common._

It took him few seconds to sort through all the conversations he and Jessica had shared, and when he realised she'd never spoken about either topic he was surprised.

 _How had it not come up?_

"Don't worry 'bout it. She's good at avoiding a subject."

He watched Jessica laugh at something John had said, her head thrown back and eyes closed. She looked innocent and beautiful, but it seemed around every corner there was another surprise waiting for him.

"Is there something I should know about either one?" he asked David, a little dread gnawing at his insides.

It felt like he was going behind Jessica's back, but then again David had been the one to bring it up, so he pushed aside his guilty conscience.

"She'll tell you the details when she's ready. They're part of the same story and it's not the type of think you bring up when you're trying to create happier memories."

Hm," was all he could think of replying, eyes still focused on Jessica as if by watching her he could decipher what David was trying to tell him.

David moved so he was half standing in front of him, the two of them now facing one another. David was nearly as tall as he was, and where Jessica's eyes were a translucent blue David's reminded him of a stormy ocean.

"She's good at hiding her feelings. Always has been. No matter how rough things got you'd never know just by looking at her. Hell, you wouldn't even know if you spent an entire day locked in a room with her."

His stomach tightened a little more and he could see David studying his face, looking for something and he hoped the other man found it.

David must have been satisfied with what he saw because he continued, "When things go from bad to worse, because we both know unless Hitler decides to call this whole thing off that's going to happen, I need to know you'll be there for her?"

The question caught him off guard. Of course he'd be there for her. What else was he going to do?

He started to respond but David cut him off. "No, Dick, you don't understand. She'll try and keep it from you, whatever horrible thing is eating her up inside. And I get it, it's how she survived, it's what she knows. It's what makes her so damn good at her job. I just need you to make damn sure she knows you're really there for her."

"Of course," he answered without thinking.

David paused, lips pursed as he continued to study him. "Good, because if you're not all in and you're not really there for her when she needs you, you'll lose her and there will be no getting her back. She won't forgive you. And of course I'll have to kill you," he added with a smirk which didn't reach his blue-grey eyes.

This time he waited before he replied. He allowed his eyes to look past David to the rest of the group. Alex and Bell where sitting on one of the blankets they'd brought, half helping John and Poppy to unpack the food they'd brought but more interested in one another.

Nixon and Jessica were dancing to a song she was signing, he could hear the rhythm but not the words, each one with a glass in one hand, the other arm draped around their companion. They were twirling and smiling and every few seconds the song was broken by a giggle or a whisper.

The frown that had creased his forehead since David had surprised him eased, replaced by a small smile as he continued to watch Jessica and Nixon dance, and drink and laugh. Finally turning his attention back to David he found the other man still staring patiently at him.

With all the sincerity he could muster he said, "When she needs me, I will be there for her. I won't abandon her."

XXXX

 _Hello everyone! Another week another chapter. So far so good on the "posting more than once a year" front._

 _I hope everyone had a fantastic week and a great weekend to look forward to._

 _To everyone that read, reviewed, favourited and followed this story (or me) thank you so much! It really keeps me going when things get rough at work and the inspiration leaves me._


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